j osi a h' s reform a ti on...yea, from that greatest of inconveniences, hell fire. 2, 3....
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Josiah's Reformation
Laid Open in Four Sermons
by Richard Sibbes
LONDON, Printed for R. DAVVLMAN, at the brazen Serpent in
Pauls Churchyard. 1637.
Table of Contents
1. THE TENDER HEART
2. THE ART OF SELF-HUMBLING
3. THE ART OF MOURNING
4. THE SAINTS REFRESHING
For thus saith the high and lofty One, that inhabiteth Eternity,
whose Name is Holy; I dwell in the high and holy Place: with him
also that is of a contrite and humble spirit, to revive the spirit of the
humble, and to revive the heart of the contrite ones.
THE TENDER HEART
SERMON I
And as for the king of Judah, who sent you to inquire of the Lord, so
shall ye say unto him, Thus saith the Lord God of Israel concerning
the words which thou hast heard, Because thine heart was tender,
&c.—2 CHRON. 34:26.
THESE words are a part of the message which the prophetess
Huldah sent to good King Josiah; for as the message was concerning
him and his people, so his answer from her is exact, both for
himself and them. That part which concerned his people is set down
in the three foregoing verses; that which belongs unto himself is
contained in the words now read unto you, 'But to the king of
Judah,' &c. The preface to her message we see strengthened with
authority from God, 'Thus saith the Lord God of Israel;' which
words carry in them the greater force and power from the majesty of
the author. For if words spoken from a king carry authority, how
much more then the word of the Lord of hosts, the King of kings?
Here is her wisdom, therefore, that she lays aside her own
authority, and speaks in the name of the Lord.
We see that waters of the same colour have not the same nature and
effect, for hot waters are of the same colour with plain ordinary
waters, yet more effectual; so the words of a man coming from a
man may seem at first to be the same with others, yet
notwithstanding, the words of God coming from the Spirit of God,
carry a more wonderful excellency in them even to the hearts of
kings. They bind kings, though they labour to shake them off. They
are arrows to pierce their hearts; if not to save them, yet to damn
them. Therefore she speaks to the king, 'Thus saith the Lord God of
Israel concerning the words which thou hast heard,' &c.
Here we read of Josiah, that he was a man of an upright heart, and
one who did that which was right in the sight of the Lord; and
answerably we find the Lord to deal with him. For he, desirous to
know the issue of a fearful judgment threatened against him and his
people, sendeth to Huldah, a prophetess of the Lord, to be certified
therein; whereupon he receiveth a full and perfect answer of the
Lord's determination, both touching himself and his people, that
they being forewarned might be forearmed; and by their timely
conversion to the Lord, might procure the aversion* of so heavy
wrath. He in uprightness sends to inquire, and the Lord returns him
a full and upright answer. Whence we may learn,
Doct. 1. That God doth graciously fit prophets for persons, and his
word, to a people that are upright in their hearts. Where there is a
true desire to know the will of God, there God will give men sincere
prophets that shall answer them exactly; not according to their own
lusts, but for their good. Josiah was an holy man, who, out of a
gracious disposition, desirous to be informed from God what should
become of him and his people, sends to the prophetess Huldah. It
was God's mercy that he should have a Huldah, a Jeremiah, to send
to; and it was God's mercy that they should deal faithfully with him.
This is God's mercy to those that are true-hearted. He will give them
teachers suitable to their desires; but those that are false-hearted
shall have suitable teachers, who shall instruct them according to
their lusts. If they be like Ahab, they shall have four hundred false
prophets to teach falsehood, to please their lusts, 1 Kings 22:6; but if
they be Davids, they shall have Nathans. If they be Josiahs, they
shall have Huldahs and Jeremiahs. Indeed, Herod may have a John
Baptist, Mark 6:27; but what will he do with him in the end when he
doth come to cross him in his sin? Then off goes his head.
Use. This should teach us to labour for sincerity, to have our hearts
upright towards God; and then he will send us men of a direct and
right spirit, that shall teach us according to his own heart. But if we
be false-hearted, God will give us teachers that shall teach us, not
according to his will, but to please our own. We shall light upon
belly-gods and epicures, and shall fall into the hands of priests and
Jesuits. Where such are, there are the judgments of God upon the
people, because they do not desire to know the will of God in truth.
We see, Ezek. 14:3, 4, the people desired to have a stumblingblock
for their iniquity. They were naught,* and would have idols.
Therefore they desired stumblingblocks. They would have false
prophets, that so they might go to hell with some authority. Well,
saith God, they shall have stumblingblocks: for thus saith the Lord
God of Israel, 'To every man that setteth up his idols in his heart,
and putteth the stumblingblock of his iniquity before his face, and
cometh to the prophet to inquire; I the Lord will answer him that
cometh, according to the multitude of his idols; according to his
own false heart, and not according to good.' What brought the
greatest judgment upon the world, next to hell itself, I mean
antichrist—the terriblest judgment of all, that hath drawn so many
souls to hell—but the wickedness of the place and people, and his
own ambition? The sins of the people gave life to him. They could
not endure the word of God or plain dealing; they thought it a
simple thing. They must have more sacrifices, more ceremonies,
and a more glorious government. They would not be content with
Christ's government which he left them, but were weary of this.
Therefore he being gone to heaven, they must have a pope to go
before them and lead them to hell. Therefore let men never excuse
those sins, for certainly God saw a great deal of evil in them, and
therefore gave them up to the judgment of antichrist. But let us
magnify God's mercies that hath not so given us up. Thus we see
how graciously God deals with a true-hearted king: he sends him a
true answer of his message.
Ver. 27, 'Because thine heart was tender,' &c.
Now here comes a comfortable message to good Josiah, that he
should be taken away and not see the miseries that should befall his
people; the cause whereof is here set down, 'Because thy heart was
tender, and thou didst humble thyself before God;' which cause is
double.
1. Inward. 2. Outward.
1. The inward is the tenderness of his heart and humbling of
himself. 2. And then the outward expression of it is set down in a
double act:
(1.) Rending of clothes. (2.) Weeping.
'Because thou hast rent thy clothes, and wept before me.' After
which comes the promise, 'I have also heard thee,' saith the Lord;
'behold, I will gather thee to thy fathers, and thou shalt be put in thy
grave in peace, and thine eyes shall not see all the evil which I will
bring upon this place, and upon the inhabitants of the same.'
I will first remove one doubt, before I come to the tenderness of
Josiah's heart.
Quest. What! may some say, Is there anything in man that can
cause God to do do him good?
Ans. No. One thing is the cause of another, but all come from the
first cause. So tenderness of heart may be some cause of removal of
judgment; but God is the cause of both, for they all come from the
first cause, which is God. So that these words do rather contain an
order than a cause. For God hath set down this order in things, that
where there is a broken heart there shall be a freedom from
judgment; not that tenderness of heart deserves anything at God's
hand, as the papists gather, but because God hath decreed it so, that
where tenderness of heart is, there mercy shall follow; as here there
was a tender heart in Josiah, therefore mercy did follow. God's
promises are made conditionally; not that the condition on our part
deserves anything at God's hand, but when God hath given the
condition, he gives the thing promised. So that this is an order
which God hath set down, that where there is grace, mercy shall
follow. For where God intends to do any good, he first works in
them a gracious disposition: after which he looks upon his own
work as upon a lovely object, and so doth give them other blessings.
God crowns grace with grace.
By 'heart' is not meant the inward material and fleshy part of the
body; but that spiritual part, the soul and affections thereof. In that
it is said to be 'tender' or melting, it is a borrowed and metaphorical
phrase. Now in a 'tender heart' these three properties concur:
1. It is sensible. 2. It is pliable. 3. It is yielding.
1. First, A tender heart is always a sensible* heart. It hath life, and
therefore sense. There is no living creature but hath life, and sense
to preserve that life. So a tender heart is sensible of any grievance;
for tenderness doth presuppose life, because nothing that hath not
life is tender. Some senses are not altogether necessary for the
being of a living creature, as hearing and seeing; but sensibleness is
needful to the being of every living creature. It is a sign of life in a
Christian when he is sensible of inconveniences. Therefore God
hath planted such affections in man, as may preserve the life of
man, as fear and love. Fear is that which makes a man avoid many
dangers. Therefore God hath given us fear to cause us make our
peace with him in time, that we may be freed from inconveniences;
yea, from that greatest of inconveniences, hell fire.
2, 3. Again, A tender heart is pliable and yielding. Now that is said to
be yielding and pliable, which yields to the touch of anything that is
put to it, and doth not stand out, as a stone that rebounds back
when it is thrown against a wall. So that is said to be tender which
hath life, and sense, and is pliable, as wax is yielding and pliable to
the disposition of him that works it, and is apt to receive any
impression that is applied to it. In a tender heart there is no
resistance, but it yields presently to every truth, and hath a
pliableness and a fitness to receive any impression, and to execute
any performance; a fit temper indeed for a heart wrought on by the
Spirit. God must first make us fit, and then use us to work. As a
wheel must first be made round, and then turned round, so the
heart must be first altered, and then used in a renewed way. A
tender heart, so soon as the word is spoken, yields to it. It quakes at
threatenings, obeys precepts, melts at promises, and the promises
sweeten the heart. In all duties concerning God, and all offices of
love to men, a tender heart is thus qualified. But hardness of heart
is quite opposite. For, as things dead and insensible, it will not yield
to the touch, but returns back whatsoever is cast upon it. Such a
heart may be broken in pieces, but it will not receive any
impression; as a stone may be broken, but will not be pliable, but
rebound back again. A hard heart is indeed like wax to the devil, but
like a stone to God or goodness. It is not yielding, but resists and
repels all that is good; and therefore compared in the Scripture to
the adamant stone. Sometimes it is called a frozen heart, because it
is unpliable to anything. You may break it in pieces, but it is
unframeable for any service, for any impression; it will not be
wrought upon. But on the contrary, a melting and tender heart is
sensible, yielding, and fit for any service both to God and man. Thus
we see plainly what a tender heart is. The point from hence is,
Doct. 2. That it is a supernatural disposition of a true child of God to
have a tender, soft, and a melting heart. I say that a disposition of a
true child of God, and the frame of soul of such an one, to be tender,
apprehensive, and serviceable, is a supernatural disposition; and of
necessity it must be so, because naturally the heart is of another
temper—a stony heart. All by nature have stony hearts in respect of
spiritual goodness. There may be a tenderness in regard of natural
things; but in regard of grace, the heart is stony, and beats back all
that is put to it. Say what you will to a hard heart, it will never yield.
A hammer will do no good to a stone. It may break it in pieces, but
not draw it to any form. So to a stony heart, all the threatenings in
the world will do no good. You may break it in pieces, but never
work upon it. It must be the almighty power of God. There is
nothing in the world so hard as the heart of man. The very creatures
will yield obedience to God; as flies, and lice, to destroy Pharaoh;
but Pharaoh himself was so hard-hearted, that after ten plagues he
was ten times the more hardened, Exod. 10:28. Therefore, if a man
have not a melting heart, he is diverted from his proper object;
because God hath placed affections in us, to be raised presently
upon suitable objects. When any object is offered in the word of
God, if our hearts were not corrupted, we would have correspondent
affections. At judgments we would tremble, at the word of
threatenings quake, at promises we would with faith believe, and at
mercies be comforted; at directions we would be pliable and
yielding. But by nature our hearts are hard. God may threaten, and
promise, and direct, and yet we insensible all the while. Well, all
Josiahs, and all that are gracious, of necessity must have soft hearts.
Therefore I will shew you,
1. How a tender heart is wrought.
2. How it may be preserved and maintained.
3. How it may be discerned from the contrary.
1. First, A tender heart is made tender by him that made it. For no
creature in the world can soften and turn the heart, only God must
alter and change it; for we are all by nature earthly, dead, and hard.
Hence is it that God doth make that gracious promise, Ezek. 11:19, 'I
will give them one heart, and put a new spirit within their bowels;
and I will take away the stony hearts out of their bodies, and give
them a heart of flesh;' that is, a living, sensible heart.
Quest. But doth God immediately make the heart tender, and
change it, without any help by means?
Sol. 1. I answer, Means do not make the heart tender, but God
through the use of means softens it by his word. God's word is a
hammer to break, and as fire to melt the hardened heart, Jer. 23:9.
And thus it works, first, when God doth shew to the heart our
cursed estate, and opens to the same the true dangers of the soul,
which it is in by nature and custom of sin, and sets before it the
terrors of the last day and present danger of judgment. When the
Spirit of God, by the word, doth convince the soul to be in a damned
estate, dead, born under wrath, and an heir of damnation; that by
nature God frowns, and hell is ready to swallow us up; when the
soul is thus convinced, then the heart begins to be astonished, and
cries out, 'Men and brethren, what shall I do?' Acts 2:37. When the
word is thus preached with particular application, it doth good. For a
man may hear the word of God generally, and yet have no broken
heart. But when a Peter comes and saith, 'You have crucified the
Lord of life;' and when a Nathan comes to David, and saith, 'Thou
art the man,' then comes the heart to be broken and confounded.
But it is not enough to have the heart broken; for a pot may be
broken in pieces, and yet be good for nothing; so may a heart be,
through terrors, and sense of judgment, and yet not be like wax,
pliable. Therefore it must be melting;* for which cause, when God
by his judgments hath cast down the heart, then comes the Spirit of
God, revealing the comfort of the word; then the gracious mercy of
God in Christ is manifested, that 'there is mercy with God, that he
may be feared,' Ps. 130:4. This being laid open to the quick, to a
dejected soul, hence it comes to be melted and tender; for the
apprehension of judgment is only a preparing work, which doth
break the heart, and prepare it for tenderness.
Sol. 2. Again, Tenderness of heart is wrought by an apprehension of
tenderness and love in Christ. A soft heart is made soft by the blood
of Christ. Many say, that an adamant cannot be melted with fire, but
by blood. I cannot tell whether this be true or no; but I am sure
nothing will melt the hard heart of man but the blood of Christ, the
passion of our blessed Saviour. When a man considers of the love
that God hath shewed him in sending of his Son, and doing such
great things as he hath done, in giving of Christ to satisfy his justice,
in setting us free from hell, Satan and death: the consideration of
this, with the persuasion that we have interest in the same, melts
the heart, and makes it become tender. And this must needs be so,
because that with the preaching of the gospel unto broken-hearted
sinners cast down, there always goes the Spirit of God, which works
an application of the gospel.
Christ is the first gift to the Church. When God hath given Christ,
then comes the Spirit, and works in the heart a gracious acceptance
of mercy offered. The Spirit works an assurance of the love and
mercy of God. Now love and mercy felt, work upon the tender heart
a reflective love to God again. What, hath the great God of heaven
and earth sent Christ into the world for me? humbled himself to the
death of the cross for me? and hath he let angels alone, and left
many thousands in the world, to choose me? and hath he sent his
ministers to reveal unto me this assurance of the love and mercy of
God? This consideration cannot but work love to God again; for love
is a kind of fire which melts the heart. So that when our souls are
persuaded that God loves us from everlasting, then we reflect our
love to him again; and then our heart says to God, 'Speak, Lord;
what wilt thou have me to do?' The soul is pliable for doing, for
suffering, for anything God will have it. Then, 'Speak, Lord, for thy
servant heareth,' 1 Sam. 3:9.
And when the heart is thus wrought upon, and made tender by the
Spirit, then afterward in the proceeding of our lives, many things
will work tenderness: as the works of God, his judgments, the word
and sacraments, when they are made effectual by the Spirit of God,
work tenderness. The promises of God also make the heart tender,
as Rom. 12:1, 'I beseech you, brethren, by the mercies of God, offer
up your souls and bodies a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable unto
God.' There is no such like argument to persuade men to tenderness
of heart, as to propound the love and mercy of God. And so the fear
of any judgment will work tenderness. This made Josiah's heart to
melt, but yet this did not work first upon him; for he having a
tender heart before, and being sure of God's love, when he heard the
judgment that should come upon his people, out of love to God and
to his people, his heart melted, not so much for fear of judgment,
but to think that God should be provoked by the sins of his people.
And thus we have seen how tenderness of heart is wrought. Now I
come to shew,
2. Second, The means how we may preserve this tenderness of
heart, because it is a disposition of God's children. How then shall
we preserve ourselves in such a perpetual temper? The way to
preserve a tender heart is,
1. First, To be under the means whereby God's Spirit will work; for it
is he by his Spirit that works upon the heart, and doth preserve
tenderness in us; and he will work only by his own means. All the
devices in the world will not work upon the heart. Therefore let us
be under the means that may preserve tenderness, and hear what
God's word says of our estate by nature, of the wrath and justice of
God, and of the judgment that will shortly come upon all the world.
This made Paul to cry, though he knew that he was the child of God,
and free from the law. 'Therefore,' saith he, 'knowing the terror of
the law, we admonish you.'
2. And then, go into the house of mourning, and present before
yourselves the miserable and forlorn estate of the church of God
abroad. It was this that broke Nehemiah's heart. When he heard
that the Jews were in great affliction and reproach, that the wall of
the city was broken down, and the gates thereof burnt with fire, he
sat down and wept, and mourned certain days, fasted and prayed
before the God of heaven, Neh. 1:4. This made this good man
Nehemiah to mourn, so that all the princes of the court could not
comfort him. This also made Moses's heart to melt, when he looked
on his brethren's affliction in Egypt. So we might keep our hearts
tender if we did but set before our eyes the pitiful estate of God's
church abroad, and that we may come to be in such an estate
ourselves ere long.
3. And if thou wilt preserve tenderness of heart, labour for a legal
and evangelical faith. We must believe that all the threatenings of
God's vengeance against the wicked shall come to pass. Faith doth
make these things present before our eyes; for it is the nature of
faith to set things absent as present before us. What makes the
malefactor to tremble and be cast down, but when he sees that he is
ready for to die, is going to the place of execution, and sees death
look him in the face? So faith setting the day of judgment before our
eyes, will make us to tremble. Therefore Paul doth so often adjure
Timothy by the coming of the Lord Jesus to judgment, 2 Tim. 4:1;
and Enoch set the day of judgment before him, at the beginning of
the world, as we may see in Jude 14. He had a faith, that set things
to come as present, and made him to walk with God. So if we had an
evangelical faith to believe the goodness of God, pardon from him,
and everlasting life, this would preserve tenderness of heart.
4. Again, Good company will preserve tenderness of heart, sorting
ourselves with those that are tender-hearted. For the soul will
reason thus: Doth such a one make conscience of swearing,
profaning the Sabbath? and doth he mourn for the miseries of the
church? Then what a hard piece of dead flesh am I, that have
nothing in me!
5. Again, If thou wouldst preserve tenderness of heart, by all means
take heed of the least sin against conscience, for the least sin in this
kind makes way for hardness of heart. Sins that are committed
against conscience do darken the understanding, dead the affection,
and take away life; so that one hath not the least strength to
withstand the least temptation. And so it comes to pass by God's
judgment; for when men will live in sins against conscience, he
takes away his Spirit, and gives up the heart from one degree of
hardness to another. For the heart at first being tender, will endure
nothing, but the least sin will trouble it. As water, when it begins to
freeze, will not endure anything, no not so much as the weight of a
pin upon it, but after a while will bear the weight of a cart; even so
at the beginning, the heart being tender, trembles at the least sin,
and will not bear with any one; but when it once gives way to sins
against conscience, it becomes so frozen that it can endure any sin,
and so becomes more and more hard. Men are so obdurate, having
once made a breach in their own hearts by sins against conscience,
that they can endure to commit any sin; and therefore God gives
them up from one degree of hardness to another. What will not men
do whom God hath given up to hardness of heart?
6. Again, If thou wilt preserve tenderness of heart, take heed of
spiritual drunkenness; that is, that thou be not drunk with an
immoderate use of the creatures; of setting thy love too much upon
outward things. For what saith the prophet? 'Wine and women take
away the heart,' Hosea 4:11; that is, the immoderate use of any
earthly thing takes away spiritual sense; for the more sensible the
soul is of outward things, the less it is of spiritual. For as the
outward takes away the inward heat, so the love of one thing abates
the love of another. The setting of too much love upon earthly
things, takes away the sense of better things, and hardens the heart.
When the heart is filled with the pleasures and profits of this life, it
is not sensible of any judgment that hangs over the head; as in the
old world, 'they ate and drank, they married and gave in marriage,
they bought and sold, while the flood came upon them and swept all
away,' Mat. 24:37. When a man sets his love upon the creature, the
very strength of his soul is lost. Therefore in the Scripture, God
joins prayer and fasting both together, Mat. 17:21; that when he
would have our hearts raised up to heaven, we should have all use
of earthly things taken away. Therefore when we are to go about
spiritual duties, we must cut ourselves short in the use of the
creatures. Talk of religion to a carnal man, whose senses are lost
with love of earthly things, he hath no ear for that; his sense is quite
lost, he hath no relish or savour of anything that is good. Talk to a
covetous man, that hath his soul set upon the things of this life, he
hath no relish of anything else; his heart is already so hardened to
get honour and wealth, though it be to the ruin of others, that he
cares not how hard it become. Therefore we are bidden to take heed
that our hearts be not overcome with drunkenness and the cares of
this life, for these will make a man to be insensible of spiritual
things, Luke 21:34.
7. Again, If thou wilt preserve tenderness of heart, take heed of
hypocrisy; for it causeth swelling, and pride makes the heart to
contemn others that be not like unto us. They bless themselves that
they live thus and thus, they think themselves better than any
other; and if they hear the minister reprove them for sin, they will
shift it off, and say, Oh, this belongeth not to me, but to such a
carnal man, and to such a wicked person; as the Scribes and
Pharisees, who were vile hypocrites, yet they were the cause of all
mischief, and more hard-hearted than Pilate, an heathen man; for
he would have delivered Christ, but they would not, Luke 23:14, seq.
So, take a Romish hypocrite, that can proudly compliment it at
every word with enticing speech, yet you shall find him more hard
hearted than Turk or Jew; for full of cruelty and blood is the 'whore
of Babylon.' Therefore, if thou wilt have tenderness of heart, take
heed of hypocrisy.
8. Again, Above all things, take heed of great sins, which will harden
the heart; for little sins do many times not dead the heart, but stir
up the conscience; but great sins do stond* and dull a man; as a
prick of a pin will make a man to start, but a heavy blow maketh a
man for to be dead for the present. Therefore take heed of great
sins. Thus it was with David. He sinned in numbering of the people,
and for this his heart smote him; but when he came to the great and
devouring sin of Uriah and Bathsheba, this was a great blow that
struck him and laid him for dead, till Nathan came and revived him,
2 Sam. 12:1. For when men fall into great sins, their hearts are so
hardened, that they go on from sin to sin. Let us therefore be
watchful over our own hearts, to preserve tenderness. The eye being
a tender part, and soonest hurt, how watchful is man by nature over
that, that it take no hurt. So the heart, being a tender thing, let us
preserve it by all watchfulness to keep blows from off it. It is a
terrible thing to keep a wound of some great sin upon the
conscience, for it makes a way for a new breach; because when the
conscience once begins to be hardened with some great sin, then
there is no stop, but we run on to commit sin with all greediness.
9. Lastly, If thou wilt preserve tenderness of heart, consider the
miserable estate of hardness of heart. Such an one that hath an hard
heart is next to hell itself, to the estate of a damned spirit, a most
terrible estate. A hard heart is neither melted with promises nor
broken with threatenings. He hath no bowels of pity to men or love
to God. He forgets all judgment for things past, and looks for none
to come. When the soul is in this case, it is fit for nothing but for sin
and the devil, whereas a tender-hearted man is fit for all good. Let
God threaten: he trembles and quakes; let God promise: his heart
melts and rejoiceth, and makes him even to break forth into
thanksgiving; let God command: he will perform all; he is fit for any
good thing to God and man. But when a man's heart is hardened by
hypocrisy, covetousness, or custom in sin, he hath no pity, no
compassion: let God command, threaten, or promise, yet the heart
is never a whit moved. This is a terrible estate of soul.
Now, to speak a little to young men that are like to this holy man
Josiah. Surely his tenderness had some advantage from his years.
Let those that are young by all means labour to keep tenderness of
heart; for if young persons be good, there is a sweet communion
between God and them, before the heart be pestered with the cares
of the world. God delights much in the prayers of young men,
because they come not from so polluted a soul, hardened with the
practices of this world. Let such, therefore, as are young, take
advantage of it, to repent in time of their sins, and let them not put
it off unto their old days. While we are young, let us not neglect
natural tenderness; although we cannot bring ourselves under the
compass of God's kingdom by it, yet shall we get our hearts the
sooner to be tender. In our youth, therefore, let us not neglect this
good opportunity, as good Josiah did not when he was but young.
Therefore let us repent of every sin betimes, and acquaint ourselves
with those that are good; as it is said, Heb. 3:13, 'Let us provoke one
another daily, while it is called to-day, lest any of you be hardened
through the deceitfulness of sin.' Let us use all means to keep our
hearts tender. Oh, it is a blessed estate! We are fit to live when our
hearts are tender; fit to die, fit to receive anything from God, fit for
duties of honesty to men, for any service to God. But when we have
lost sense and feeling, it must be the almighty power of God that
must recover us again, and not one amongst an hundred comes to
good. Therefore labour to preserve a tender, soft, and melting heart.
Now, ere I proceed, give me leave to answer some cases of
conscience, as,
Quest. 1. First, Whether the children of God may be subject to this
hardness of heart, opposed to this tenderness?
Quest. 2. Secondly, Whether a Christian may be more sensible of
outward things than of spiritual, as the love of God, or his own sin,
and the like?
Sol. 1. To the first I answer, that the child of God may be hard-
hearted. He may have some degrees of hardness of heart in him. For
a Christian is a compounded creature; he hath not only body and
soul, but flesh and spirit. He is but in part renewed; and therefore,
having in him both flesh and spirit, he is subject to hardness of
heart; and it is clear that it may be so. Examples shew that God's
children are not always alike sensible of the wrath of God and of his
mercy. They do not yield so to his commands as they should. But
what is the reason that God doth suffer his children to fall into this
hardness of heart? There is something in us that makes him give us
up unto it, for we are no longer soft than he works upon us.
Quest. But what doth move him to leave us in this disposition?
Sol. I answer, he doth it for correction of former negligences, for
sins of omission; especially when they neglect some means of grace
whereby their hearts might be kept tender: it is for want of stirring
up of God's grace in them; for want of an high esteem of grace
bestowed upon them; want of care of their company, for not
associating themselves with such as are tender-hearted; and from
hence it comes that God suffers his children to fall into hardness of
heart.
Quest. But now, from hence ariseth another question: How may a
man know his heart from the heart of a reprobate, seeing that God's
children may have hardness of heart?
Ans. I answer, that the heart of a man that is a very reprobate is
totally, wholly, and finally hardened, and it is joined with security
and insensibleness; it is joined with obstinacy, and with contempt of
the means. But the child of God hath not total and final hardness of
heart, but hath a sensibleness of it, he feeleth and seeth it. Total
hardness doth feel nothing, but a Christian that hath hardness of
heart, doth feel that he hath it; as a man that hath the stone in his
bladder, feels and knows that he hath a stone. A hard-hearted man
feels nothing, but he that hath but only hardness of heart doth feel:
for there is difference between hardness of heart and a hard heart;
for the child of God may have hardness of heart, but not a hard
heart. Now, I say a child of God that hath hardness of heart is
sensible of his hardness, and performs the actions of a sensible
soul: he useth some good means for the softening of it, for the
sense thereof is grievous to him above all other crosses; and whiles
he is under it, he thinks that all is not with him as it should be:
therefore he complains of it above all other afflictions, which makes
him cry to God, as we may see, Isa. 63:17, 'Why hast thou hardened
our hearts from thy fear?'
Obj. But some may demand how God doth harden.
Sol. I answer, the cause is first from our own selves; but he hardens
four ways:
First, Privatively, by withholding and withdrawing his melting and
softening power. For as the sun causeth darkness by withdrawing
his light and warming power, so God withdrawing that melting
power whereby we should be softened, it cannot be but that we
must needs be hardened.
2. Secondly, Negatively, by denying of grace; by taking away from us
his graces, which are not natural in us. Thus God doth to those
whom he doth absolutely harden; he takes away that which they
have, and so they become worse than they of themselves were by
nature. When men walk unworthy of the gospel, God takes away
very rational life from them, and gives them up to hardness of heart,
that they run on in such courses, as that they are their own
enemies, and bring upon themselves ruin.
3. Thirdly, And as God hardens by privation and negation, so, in the
third place, he hardens by tradition:* by giving us up to the devil, to
be vexed by his troubles, to harden us. It is a fearful judgment.
When we take a course to grieve the Spirit of God, the Spirit will
take a course to grieve us: he will give us up to Satan, to blind and to
harden us. So that though God doth not work, as the author,
effectually in this hardening, yet as a just judge he doth, by giving us
up to Satan and the natural lusts of our own hearts, which are worse
than all the devils in hell.
4. Fourthly and lastly, He doth harden objectively, by propounding
good objects, which, meeting with a wicked heart, make it more
hard, as, Isa. 6:10, it is said, 'Harden these people's hearts.' How? By
preaching of the word. A good object, if it lights upon a bad soul,
hardens the heart; for they that are not bettered by religion, under
the means, are so much the worse by their use. So we see God
cannot be impeached with the hardening of our hearts, because all
the cause is from ourselves; for whether he hardens by privation,
negation, tradition, or by propounding good objects, it is all from
ourselves; and likewise we have seen that God's children may have
hardness of heart in some measure, but yet it differs from a
reprobate, because they see and feel it, grieve for it, and complain of
it to God.
Quest. The second question is, But whether may a child of God be
more sensible of outward joys or crosses, than of spiritual things?
for this makes many think they have not tender hearts, because
they are more sensible of outward things than of spiritual.
Ans. I answer, It is not always alike with them; for God's children
are still complaining of something: of their carelessness in good
duties, of their want of strength against corruption. They go
mourning when they have made God to bring them down upon their
knees for their hardness of heart; but there is an intercourse, in the
children of God, between the flesh and the spirit. They are partly
flesh and partly spirit. Therefore many times, for a while, when the
flesh prevails, there may be a sudden joy and a sudden sorrow,
which may be greater than spiritual joy or spiritual sorrow; but yet
it is not continual. But spiritual sorrow, grief for sin, though it be
not so vehement as, for the sudden, outward sorrow is, yet it is
more constant. Grief for sin is continual; whereas outward sorrow is
but upon a sudden, though it seem to be more violent.
2. And again, in regard of their valuing and prizing of earthly things,
there may be a sudden sorrow: for a child of God may, upon a
sudden, overprize outward things, and esteem them at too high a
rate; but yet after that, valuing things by good advice, they prize
spiritual things far beyond outward; and therefore their sorrow and
joy is more for spiritual things, because it is constant. This I speak,
not to cherish any neglect in any Christian, but for comfort to such
as are troubled for it; therefore let such know, that God will not
'break the bruised reed, nor quench the smoking flax.' If they have
but a desire, and by conscionable* use of means, do shew their
desire to be true, they shall have it at last, for Christ doth continue
to make intercession for us; and if there were no weakness in us,
what need Christ continue to make peace for us? for peace is made
for those that fall out. Therefore, if there were no falling out
between God and us, what need Christ to continue to make
intercession for us? For these reasons, we see a child of God, for the
present, may be more sensible of outward things than of spiritual.
Quest. But here another question may be asked, How shall we know
that we have sensibleness and pliableness, or not?
Ans. I answer, Easily, by applying of the soul unto objects, as 1, to
God; 2, to his word; 3, to his works; 4, to man.
We may try our tenderness and pliableness of heart these four
ways:
1. To God. As it is tender from God, so it is tender for God; for the
three persons of the Trinity. He that hath a tender heart cannot
endure to dishonour God himself, or to hear others dishonour him,
either by his own sins or by others.' He cannot endure to hear God's
name blasphemed. So that they have a tender heart who when they
see Christ in his religion to be wronged, cannot choose but be
affected with it. So again, a man hath a tender heart when he yields
to the motions of the Holy Ghost. When the Spirit moves, and he
yields, this shews there is a tender heart. But a hard heart beats
back all, and as a stone to the hammer, will not yield to any motion
of God's Spirit.
2. Now, in the second place, to come downward, a tender heart is
sensible in regard of the word of God; as, first, at the threatenings a
true tender heart will tremble, as Isa. 66:2, 'To him will I look, even
to him that is of a contrite and broken spirit, and trembleth at my
words.' A man that hath a tender heart will tremble at the signs of
the anger of God: 'Shall the lion roar, and the beasts of the forest
not be afraid?' Amos 3:4. Yes, they will stand still and tremble at the
roaring of the lion; but much more will a tender heart tremble when
God roars, and threatens vengeance. A tender heart will tremble
when it hears of the terrors of the Lord at the day of judgment, as
Paul did: 'Now knowing the terrors of the Lord, we persuade men,' 2
Cor. 5:11. It forced him to be faithful in his office. This use the
apostle Peter would have us make of it: 2 Pet. 3:11, 'That seeing all
these things must be dissolved, what manner of persons ought we
to be in holy conversation and godliness?' And so for the promises
in the word. The heart is tender when the word of God doth rejoice a
man above all things. How can the heart but melt at God's promises,
for they are the sweetest things that can be. Therefore when a
tender heart hears God's promises, it makes him to melt and be
sensible of them. Again, a tender heart will be pliable to any
direction in the word. To God's call it will answer, 'Here I am;' Lord,
what wilt thou have me to do? As Isaiah, when he had once a tender
heart, then 'Send me, Lord,' Isa. 6:8. So David to God's command,
'Seek ye my face,' answers, 'Thy face, Lord, will I seek,' Ps. 27:8.
There is a gracious echo of the soul to God in whatsoever he saith in
his word. And thus a true, tender heart doth yield to the word of
God, and is fit to run on any errand.
3. Thirdly, By applying it to the works of God; for a tender heart
quakes when it doth see the judgment of God abroad upon others. It
hastens to make his peace with God, and to meet him by
repentance. So again, a tender heart rejoiceth at the mercy of God,
for it doth see something in it better than the thing itself; and that is
the love of God, from which it doth proceed.
4. Fourthly, A man may know his heart to be tender and sensible, in
regard of the estate of others, whether they be good or bad. If they
be wicked, he hath a tender heart for them; as David, Ps. 119:136,
'Mine eyes gush out with rivers of water, because men keep not thy
law.' So Paul saith, 'There are many that walk inordinately, of whom
I have told you before, and now tell you weeping,' &c., Phil. 3:18. So
Christ was sensible of the misery of Jerusalem, wept for it, and a
little while after, shed his own blood for it, Mat. 23:37. Thus had he
a tender heart. But when Christ looked to God's decree, he saith,
'Father, I thank thee, Lord of heaven and earth, that thou hast hid
these things from the wise and noble, and hast revealed them unto
babes,' Mat. 11:25. And so likewise for those that are good, in giving
and forgiving; in giving, they give not only the thing, but they give
their hearts and affections with it; and so in forgiving, they
apprehend Christ's love in forgiving them; therefore they forgive
others. So for works, will God have a tender heart to do anything, it
will do it. If he will have it mourn, it will mourn; if to rejoice, it will
rejoice; it is fit for every good work. By these marks we may know
whether we have tender hearts or no.
But to apply this; how is this affection of Josiah in the hearts of
men in these days? How many have melting hearts when they hear
God blasphemed, and the religion of Christ wronged? How few are
there that yield to the motions of the Spirit! We may take up a
wonderful complaint of the hardness of men's hearts in these days,
who never tremble at the word of God. Neither his promises, nor
threatenings, nor commands will melt their hearts; but this is
certain, that they which are not better under religion, by the means
of grace, are much the worse. And how sensible are we of the
church's miseries? For a tender heart is sensible of the miseries of
the church, as being members of the same body, whereof Christ is
the head. But men now-a-days are so far from melting hearts, that
they want natural affection, as Paul foretells of such in the latter
times, 1 Tim. 4:1. They have less bowels of pity in them, when they
hear how it goes with the church abroad, than very pagans and
heathens. This shews they have no tender hearts, that they are not
knit to Christ by faith, who is the head; nor to the church, the body,
in love. How is thy heart affected to men when they commit any sin
against God, as idolaters, swearers, drunkards, liars, and the like? Is
it mercy to let these go on in their sins towards hell? No, this is
cruelty; but mercy is to be shewed unto them, in restraining men
from their wicked courses. Therefore do not think thou shewest
mercy unto them by letting them alone in sin, but exhort and
instruct them. Coldness and deadness is a spiritual disease in these
days. But surely they that have the Spirit of God warming their
hearts, are sensible of their own good and ill, and of the good and ill
of the time. Well, if you will know you have a tender heart, look to
God, look to his word, to his works, to yourselves, and others; and
so you shall know whether you have tender hearts or not.
Quest. But here may be another question asked, How shall men
recover themselves, when they are subject to this hardness,
deadness, and insensibleness? If after examination a man find
himself to be thus, how shall he recover himself out of this estate. I
answer,
Ans. 1. First, As when things are cold we bring them to the fire to
heat and melt, so bring we our cold hearts to the fire of the love of
Christ; consider we of our sins against Christ, and of Christ's love
towards us; dwell upon this meditation. Think what great love
Christ hath shewed unto us, and how little we have deserved, and
this will make our hearts to melt, and be as pliable as wax before the
sun.
2. Secondly, If thou wilt have this tender and melting heart, then
use the means; be always under the sunshine of the gospel. Be
under God's sunshine, that he may melt thy heart; be constant in
good means; and help one another. 'We must provoke one another
daily, lest any be hardened through the deceitfulness of sin,' Heb.
3:13. Physicians love not to give physic to themselves. So a man is
not always fit to help himself when he is not right; but good
company is fit to do it. 'Did not our hearts burn within us while he
talked with us?' said the two disciples, holding communion each
with other at Emmaus, Luke 24:32. For then Christ comes and
makes a third, joins with them, and so makes their hearts burn
within them. So Christ saith, 'Where two or three are met together
in his name, he is in the midst of them,' Mat. 18:20. Now they were
under the promise, therefore he affords his presence. Where two
hold communion together, there Christ will make a third. Therefore
let us use the help of others, seeing David could not recover himself,
being a prophet, but he must have a Nathan to help him, 2 Sam.
12:7. Therefore if we would recover ourselves from hard and
insensible hearts, let us use the help one of another.
3. Thirdly, We must with boldness and reverence challenge the
covenant of grace; for this is the covenant that God hath made with
us, to give us tender hearts, hearts of flesh, as Ezek. 11:19, 'I will give
them one heart, and put a new spirit within their bowels; I will take
away the stony hearts out of their bodies, and I will give them a
heart of flesh. Now seeing this is a covenant God hath made, to give
us fleshly hearts and to take away our stony, let us challenge him
with his promise, and go to him by prayer. Entreat him to give thee
a fleshly heart; go to him, wait his time, for that is the best time.
Therefore wait though he do not hear at first. These are the means
to bring tenderness of heart.
Now, that ye may be stirred up to this duty, namely, to get a soft and
tender heart, mark here,
1. First, What an excellent thing a tender heart is. God hath
promised to dwell in such an heart, and is it an excellent thing to
have God dwell in our hearts, as he hath promised, Isa. 57:15, 'For
thus saith he that is high and excellent, he that inhabiteth eternity,
whose name is the Holy One: I will dwell in the high and holy place,
and with him also that is of a contrite and humble spirit, to revive
the spirit of the humble, and to give life to them that are of a
contrite heart?' So Isa. 66:2, 'To him will I look, even to him that is
poor and contrite in spirit, and doth tremble at my words.' Now God
having promised to dwell where there is a soft heart, and no
hardness, no rocks to keep him out; can God come into a heart
without a blessing? Can he be separated from goodness, which is
goodness itself? When the heart therefore is pliable and thus
tender, there is an immediate communion between the soul and
God; and can that heart be miserable that hath communion with
God? Surely no.
2. Secondly, Consider that this doth fit a man for the end for which
he was created. A man is never fit for that end for which he was
made, but when he hath a tender heart; and what are we redeemed
for, but that we should serve God? And who is fit to be put in the
service of God but he that hath begged a tender heart of God?
3. Thirdly, To stir you up to labour for this, consider that a tender
heart is fit for any blessedness. It is capable of any beatitude. What
makes a man blessed in anything but a tender heart? This will make
a man to hear the word, to read, to shew mercies to others. 'Blessed
are the poor in spirit,' saith Christ, 'for theirs is the kingdom of
heaven.' A tender heart is blessed, because that only heareth God's
word, and doth it; and it is always a merciful heart, and therefore
blessed.
4. Again, Consider the wretched estate of a heart contrary, that is
not tender, and will not yield. Oh what a wonderful hardness would
the heart of man grow to, if we do not follow it with means to soften
it! What a fearful thing was it to see what strange things fell out at
Christ's death, what darkness there was, what thunders and
lightnings. The veil of the Temple rent, the sun was turned into
darkness, the graves opened, and the dead did rise, yet
notwithstanding none of these would make the hypocritical
Pharisees to tremble, but they mocked at it, although it made a very
heathen man confess it the work of God, Mat. 27:45–54. For a
ceremonial hypocrite is more hard than a Turk, Jew, or Pagan. All
the judgments of God upon Pharaoh were not so great as hardness
of heart. The papists, after they have been at their superstitious
devotion, are fittest for powder-plots and treasons, because their
hearts are so much more hardened. What fearful things may a man
come to, if he give way to hardness of heart! He may come to an
estate like the devil, yea, worse than Judas, for he had some
sensibleness of his sin; he confessed he had sinned in betraying the
innocent blood. But many of these hypocrites have no sensibleness
at all, which is a fearful thing. Eli's children hearkened not to the
voice of their father, because that the Lord had a purpose to destroy
them, 1 Sam. 2:25. So it is in this case a shrewd sign that God will
destroy those that are so insensible that nothing will work upon
them. But these hypocrites shall be sensible one day, when they
shall wish they were as insensible as in their lifetime they were. But
it will be an unfruitful repentance to repent in hell; for there a man
shall get no benefit by his repentance, seeing there they cannot
shake off the execution of God's judgment, as they shake off the
threatenings of his judgments here. Well, to this fearful end, before
it be long, must every one that hath a hard heart come, unless they
repent. Therefore let every one be persuaded to labour for a tender,
pliable, yielding, and sensible heart here, else we shall have it
hereafter against our wills, when it will do us no good; for then
hypocrites shall be sensible against their wills, though they would
not be sensible in this life.
And thus I have done with the first inward cause in Josiah that
moved God so to respect him, namely, tenderness of heart.
THE ART OF SELF-HUMBLING
SERMON II
Because thine heart was tender, and thou didst humble thyself
before God, when thou heardest his words against this place, and
against the inhabitants thereof, and humbledst thyself before me,
and didst rend thy clothes, and weep before me, &c.—2 CHRON.
34:27.
OF tenderness of heart, the first inward cause in Josiah, which
moved God to pity him, so as he should not be an eye-witness of the
fearful calamities to come upon his land and people, is largely
spoken in the former sermon; wherein is also shewed how it is
wrought, preserved, discerned, recovered when it is lost; what
encouragements we have to seek and labour for it, with some other
things which I will not here repeat, but fall directly upon that which
follows, 'And thou didst humble thyself before God.' In which words
we have set down the second inward cause in Josiah, that moved
God to shew mercy unto him; the humbling of himself. 'And thou
didst humble thyself before God.' Tenderness of heart and humbling
a man's self go both together; for things that are hard will not yield
nor bow. A great iron bar will not bow, a hard stony heart will not
yield. Now, therefore, humbling of ourselves, the making of us as
low as the ground itself, is added unto tenderness; for the soul being
once tender and melting, is fit to be humbled, yea, cares not how
low it be abased, so mercy may follow. For the better unfolding of
the words, we will consider,
1. The person that did humble himself: 'Josiah,' a king, a great man.
2. Humiliation itself, and the qualities of it: 'and humbledst thyself
before God,' which argued the sincerity of it.
3. The occasion of it: 'when thou heardest the words against this
place, and against the inhabitants thereof.'
4. The outward expression of it, in weeping and rending his clothes;
which we will handle in their place.
1. First, for the person, 'Thou didst humble thyself,' Josiah a king,
who was tenderly brought up, and highly advanced; a thing which
makes the work so much the more commendable; whence we learn,
Doct. 1. That it is a disposition, not unbefitting kings to humble
themselves before God. For howsoever they are gods downward, to
those that are under them, yet if they look upward, what are kings?
The greater light hides the lesser. What are all the inhabitants of the
earth in his sight, but as a drop of a bucket, as dust upon the
balance, of no moment! Isa. 40:15. 'I have said you are gods, but you
shall die like men,' Ps. 82:6, 7. For howsoever the saints of God
differ from other men in regard of their use, and the inscription God
hath set upon them, yet they are of the same stuff, dust, as others
are. And so kings, though in civil respects they differ from other
men, yet are they of the same metal, and shall end in death, all their
glory must lie in the dust.
Therefore it is not unbefitting kings to humble themselves before
God, seeing they have to deal with him who is a 'consuming fire,'
Heb. 12:29, before whom the very angels cover their faces. I say it is
no shame for the greatest monarch of the earth to abase himself
when he hath to do with God; yea, kings, of all other persons, ought
most to humble themselves, to shew their thankfulness to God, who
hath raised them from their brethren to be heads of his people. And
considering the endowments which kings usually have, they are
bound to humble themselves, as also in regard of the authority and
power which God hath put into their hands, saying, 'By me kings
reign,' Prov. 8:15. But usually we see, from the beginning of the
world, that kings forget God. Where there is not grace above nature,
there kings will not stoop to Christ; but so far as it agrees with their
pleasure and will, so far shall Christ be served, and no farther.
But yet God hath always raised up some nursing fathers and
mothers,—as he hath done to us, for which we ought to bless God,—
who have and do make conscience of this mentioned duty, so well
beseeming Christian princes, as in sundry other respects, so also in
this, that therein they might be exemplary to the people. For no
doubt but Josiah did this also, that his people might not think it a
shame for them to humble themselves before God, whenas he their
king, tender in years, and subject to no earthly man, did before
them, in his own person, prostrate himself in the humblest manner
before the great God of heaven and earth.
As that ointment poured upon Aaron's head fell from his head to the
skirts, and so spread itself to the rest of the parts, even to his feet,
Ps. 133:2, so a good example in a king descends down to the lowest
subjects, as the rain from the mountains into the valleys. Therefore
a king should first begin to humble himself. Kings are called fathers
to their subjects, because they should bear a loving and holy
affection to their people, that when anything troubles the subjects,
they should be affected with it. Governors are not to have a distinct
good from their subjects, but the welfare of the subjects should be
the glory of their head. Therefore Josiah took the judgments
threatened as his own: howsoever his estate was nothing unto
theirs.
It is said moreover, 'Thou didst humble thyself.' He was both the
agent and the patient, the worker and the object of his work: it came
from him, and ended in him. Humiliation is a reflected action:
Josiah humbled himself. And certainly this is that true humiliation,
the humbling of ourselves; for it is no thanks for a man to be
humbled by God, as Pharaoh was; for God can humble and pull
down the proudest that do oppose his church. God by this gets
himself glory. But here is the glory of a Christian, that he hath got
grace from God to humble himself; which humbling is, from our
own judgment, and upon discerning of good grounds, to bring our
affections to stoop unto God; to humble ourselves. Many are
humbled that are not humble; many are cast down that have proud
hearts still, as Pharaoh had. It is said, 'Thou humbledst thyself.'
Then we learn,
Doct. 2. That the actions of grace are reflected actions. They begin
from a man's self, and end in a man's self; yet we must not exclude
the Spirit of God; for he doth not say, thou from thyself didst
humble thyself, but 'thou didst humble thyself.' We have grace from
God to humble ourselves. So that the Spirit of God doth work upon
us as upon fit subjects, in which grace doth work. Though such
works be the works of God, yet they are said to be ours, because God
doth work them in us and by us. We are said to humble ourselves,
because we are temples wherein he works, seeing he useth the parts
of our soul, as the understanding, the will, and the affections, in the
work. Therefore it is foolish for the papists to say, good works be
our own, as from ourselves. No; good works, say we, are ours, as
effects of the Spirit in us. But for the further expression of this
humbling of ourselves before God, we will consider,
1. The kinds and degrees of it.
2. Some directions how we may humble ourselves.
3. The motives to move us to it.
4. The notes whereby it may be known.
1. First, for the nature and kinds of it; we must know that
humiliation is either
(1.) Inward, in the mind first of all, and then in the affections; or,
(2.) Outward, in expression of words, and likewise in carriage.
(1.) To begin with the first inward humiliation in the mind, in regard
of judgment and knowledge, is, when our understandings are
convinced, that we are as we are; when we are not high-minded, but
when we judge meanly and basely of ourselves, both in regard of
our beginning and dependency upon God, having all from him, both
life, motion, and being; and also in regard of our end, what we shall
be ere long. All glory shall end in the dust, all honour in the grave,
and all riches in poverty. And withal, true humiliation is also in
regard of spiritual respects, when we judge aright how base and vile
we are in regard of our natural corruption, that we are by nature not
only guilty of Adam's sin, but that we have, besides that, wrapt
ourselves in a thousand more guilts by our sinful course of life, and
that we have nothing of our own, no, not power to do the least good
thing. When we look upon any vile person, we may see our own
image. So that if God had not been gracious unto us, we should have
been as bad as they. In a word, inward conviction of our natural
frailty and misery, in regard of the filthy and foul stain of sin in our
nature and actions, and of the many guilts of spiritual and temporal
plagues in this life and that which is to come, is that inward
humiliation in the judgment or understanding.
Again, Inward humiliation, besides spiritual conviction, is when
there are affections of humiliation. And what be those? Shame,
sorrow, fear, and such like penal afflictive affections. For, upon a
right conviction of the understanding, the soul comes to be stricken
with shame that we are in such a case as we are; especially when we
consider God's goodness to us, and our dealing with him. This will
breed shame and abasement, as it did in Daniel. Shame and sorrow
ever follow sin, first or last, as the apostle demands, Rom. 6:21,
'What fruit had ye then in those things whereof ye are now
ashamed?' After conviction of judgment there is always shame; and
likewise there is sorrow and grief. For God hath made the inward
faculties of the soul so, that upon the apprehension of the
understanding, the heart comes to be stricken through with grief,
which works upon our souls. Therefore we are said in Scripture to
afflict ourselves; that is, when we set ourselves upon meditation of
our deserts. Hereupon we cannot but be affected inwardly, for these
sorrows are so many daggers to pierce through the heart.
The third penal affection is, fear and trembling before God's
judgments and his threatenings, a fear of the majesty of God, whom
we have offended, which is able to send us to hell if his mercies
were not beyond our deserts. But his mercy it is, that we are not
consumed. A fear of this great God is a part of this inward
humiliation. So we see what inward humiliation is: first, a
conviction of the judgment; and then it proceeds to inward afflictive
affections, as grief, shame, fear, which, when upon good ground and
fit objects, they are wrought in us by the Holy Ghost, they are parts
of inward humiliation. But as for the wicked, they drown
themselves in their profaneness, because they would not be
ashamed, nor fear, nor grieve for them. But this makes way for
terrible shame, sorrow, and fear afterwards; for those that will not
shame, grieve, and fear here, shall be ashamed before God and his
angels at the day of judgment, and shall be tormented in hell for
ever.
2. Secondly, His outward humiliation is expressed and manifested
in words, in outward behaviour and carriage. The words which he
used are not here set down; but certainly Josiah did speak words
when he humbled himself. It was not a dumb show, but done with
his outward expression and his inward affection. This is evident by
those words of the text, 'I have heard thee also,' saith the Lord.
Without doubt, therefore, he did speak something. But because true
sorrow cannot speak distinctly,—for a broken soul can speak but
broken words,—therefore his words are not here set down, but yet
God heard them well enough. And indeed, so it is sometimes, that
the grief for the affliction may be stronger than the faculty of
speech, so that a man cannot speak for grief. As a heathen man, by
light of nature, did weep and grieve for his friends, but when his
child came to be killed before him, he stood like a stone, because his
sorrow was so great that it exceeded all expression. So humiliation
may so exceed that it cannot be expressed in words; as David
himself, when he was told of his sins by Nathan, did not express all
his sorrow, but saith, 'I have sinned;' yet afterwards, he makes the
51st Psalm, a composed speech for supply, a fit pattern for an
humble and broken soul. So doubtless there was outward
expression of words in Josiah, although they be not here set down.
This speech, which is a part of humiliation, is called a confession of
our sins to God; with it should be joined hatred and grief afflictive,
as also a deprecation and desire that God would remove the
judgment which we have deserved by our sins; and likewise a
justification of God, in what he hath laid or may lay upon us. Lord,
thou art righteous and just in all thy judgments; shame and
confusion belongeth unto me; my sins have deserved that thou
shouldest pour down thy vengeance upon me; it is thy great mercy
that I am not consumed. The good thief upon the cross justified
God, saying, 'We are here justly for our deserts; but this man doth
suffer wrongfully,' Luke 23:41. Justification and self-condemnation
go with humiliation. This is the outward expression in words. Now
the outward humiliation in respect of his carriage, is here directly
set down in two acts:
1. Rending of clothes. And 2. Weeping.
But of these I shall speak afterwards when I come at them. Thus we
have seen the degrees and kinds of humiliation.
Seeing it is such a necessary qualification, for humiliation is a
fundamental grace that gives strength to all other graces; seeing, I
say, it is such a necessary temper of a holy gracious man to be
humble; how may we come to humble ourselves as we should do? I
answer, Let us take these directions:
1. First, Get poor spirits, that is, spirits to see the wants in ourselves
and in the creature; the emptiness of all earthly things without
God's favour; the insufficiency of ourselves and of the creature at
the day of judgment; for what the wise man saith of riches may be
truly said of all other things under the sun: they avail not in the day
of wrath, but righteousness delivereth from death, Prov. 11:4.
Josiah was not poor in respect of the world, for he was a king; but
he was 'poor in spirit,' because he saw an emptiness in himself. He
knew his kindgom could not shield him from God's judgment, if he
were once angry.
(1.) Let us consider our original. From whence came we? From the
earth, from nothing. Whither go we? To the earth, to nothing. And
in respect of spiritual things, we have nothing. We are not able to do
anything of ourselves, no, not so much as to think a good thought.
(2.) Likewise, consider we the guilt of our sins. What do we
deserve? Hell and damnation, to have our portion with hypocrites in
that 'lake that burneth with fire and brimstone.'
(3.) Let us have before our eyes the picture of old Adam, our sinful
nature: how we are drawn away by every object; how ready to be
proud of anything; how unable to resist the least sin; how ready to
be cast down under every affliction; that we cannot rejoice in any
blessing; that we have no strength of ourselves to perform any good
or suffer ill; in a word, how that we carry a nature about us
indisposed to good, and prone to all evil. This consideration
humbled Paul, and made him to cry out, when no other afflictions
could move him, 'O miserable man that I am, who shall deliver me
from this body of death?' Rom. 7:24. By this means we come to be
poor in spirit.
2. If we would have humble spirits, let us bring ourselves into the
presence of the great God: set ourselves in his presence, and
consider of his attributes, his works of justice abroad in the world,
and open* ourselves in particular.
Consider his wisdom, holiness, power, and strength, with our own.
It will make us abhor ourselves, and repent in dust and ashes. Let
us bring ourselves into God's presence, be under the means, under
his word, that there we may see ourselves ripped up, and see what
we are. As Job, when he brought himself into God's presence, said, 'I
abhor myself, and repent in dust and ashes,' Job 42:6. Job thought
himself somebody before; but when God comes to examine him,
and upon examination found that he could not give a reason of the
creature, much less of the Lord's, afflicting his children, then he
saith, 'I abhor myself.' So Abraham, the more he talked with God,
the more he did see himself but dust and ashes. This is the language
of the holy men in Scripture, when they have to deal or think of
God. 'I am not worthy,' says John Baptist, John 1:27. So Paul: 'I am
not worthy to be called an apostle,' 1 Cor. 15:9. So the centurion: 'I
am not worthy thou shouldst come into my house,' Mat. 8:8. 'I am
less than the least of thy blessings,' saith Jacob, Gen. 32:10. Thus let
us come into the presence of God, under the means of his word, and
then we shall see our own vileness, which will work humiliation;
for, as the apostle saith, when a poor simple man doth come, and
hears the prophecy that is, the word of God, with application unto
himself, laying open his particular sins, doubtless he will say, God is
in you, 1 Cor. 14:24, 25.
3. That we may humble ourselves, let us be content to hear of our
sins and baseness by others. Let us be content that others should
acquaint us with anything that may humble us. Proud men are the
devil's pipes, and flatterers the musicians to blow these pipes.
Therefore it is, that though men have nothing of their own, yet they
love to give heed to flatterers, to blow their bladder full, which do
rob them of themselves; whereas a true, wise man, will be content
to hear of anything that may humble him before God.
4. And withal, that we may humble ourselves, look to the time to
come, what we shall be ere long, earth and dust; and at the day of
judgment we must be stripped of all. What should puff us up in this
world? All our glory shall end in shame, all magnificency in
confusion, all riches in poverty. It is a strange thing that the devil
should raise men to be proud of that which they have not of their
own, but of such things which they have borrowed and begged; as
for men to be proud of themselves in regard of their parents. So,
many there are who think the better of themselves for their apparel,
when yet they are clothed with nothing of their own, and so are
proud of the very creature. But thus the devil hath besotted our
nature, to make us glory in that which should abase us, and to think
the better of ourselves, for that which is none of our own. Nay,
many in the church of God, are so far from humbling themselves,
that they come to manifest their pride, to shew themselves, to see
and to be seen. Thus the devil besots many thousand silly creatures,
that come in vainglory into the house of God; that whereas they
should humble themselves before him, they are puffed up with a
base empty pride, even before God. Therefore let us take notice of
our wonderful proneness to have a conceit of ourselves; for if a man
have a new fashion, or some new thing, which nobody else knows
besides himself, how wonderful conceited will he be of himself! Let
us take notice, I say, of our proneness to this sin of pride; for the
best are prone to it. Consider, it is a wonderful hateful sin, a sin of
sins, that God most hates. It was this sin that made him thrust
Adam out of paradise. It was this sin which made him thrust the evil
angels out of heaven, who shall never come there again. Yea, it is a
sin that God cures with other sins, so far he hateth it; as Paul, being
subject to be proud through the abundance of revelations, was cured
of it by a prick in the flesh: being exercised with some dangerous,
noisome, and strange cure. Indeed, it is profitable for some men to
fall, that so by their humiliation for infirmities, they may be cured
of this great, this sacrilegious sin.* And why is it called a
sacrilegious sin? Because it robs God of his glory. For God hath said,
'My glory I will not give to another,' Isa. 42:8. Is not the grace,
goodness, and mercy of God sufficient for us, but we must enter
into his prerogatives, and exalt ourselves? We are both idols and
idol-worshippers, when we think highly of ourselves, for we make
ourselves idols. Now God hates idolatry; but pride is a sacrilege,
therefore God hates pride.
5. If we would humble ourselves, let us set before us the example of
our blessed Saviour; for we must be conformable to him, by whom
we hope to be saved. He left heaven, took our base nature, and
humbled himself to the death of the cross, yea, to the washing of his
disciples' feet, and among the rest, washed Judas's feet, and so
suffered himself to be killed as a traitor, Philip, 2:5–7; and all this to
satisfy the wrath of God for us, and that he might be a pattern for us
to be like-minded. Therefore, if we would humble ourselves by
pattern, here is a pattern without all exception. Let us be
transformed into the likeness of him; yea, the more we think of
him, the more we shall be humbled. For it is impossible for a man
to dwell upon this meditation of Christ in humility, and with faith to
apply it to himself, that he is his particular Saviour, but this faith
will abase the heart, and bring it to be like Christ in all spiritual
representation. A heart that believeth in Christ will be humbled like
Christ. It will be turned from all fleshly conceit of excellency, to be
like him. Is it possible, if a man consider he is to be saved by an
abased and humble Saviour, that was pliable to every base service,
that had not a house to hide himself; I say, is it possible that he
which considers of this, should ever be willingly or wilfully proud?
Do we hope to be saved by Christ, and will we not be like him?
When we were firebrands of hell, he humbled himself to the death
of the cross, left heaven and happiness a-while, and took our shame,
to be a pattern to us. We know that Christ was brought into the
world by a humble virgin. So the heart wherein he dwells must be
an humble heart. If we have true faith in Christ, it will cast us down,
and make us to be humbled. For it is impossible that a man should
have faith to challenge any part in Christ, except he be conformed to
the image of Christ in humility. Therefore let us take counsel of
Christ: 'Learn of me, for I am humble and meek; and so you shall
find rest to your souls,' Mat. 11:29.
Lastly, That we may humble ourselves, let us work upon our own
souls by reasoning, discoursing, and speaking to our own hearts. For
the soul hath a faculty to work upon itself. Now this, being a
reflected action, to humble ourselves, it must be done by some
inward action; and what is that? To discourse thus: If so be a prince
should but frown upon me when I have offended his law, in what
case should I be! Yet, when the great God of heaven threatens, what
an atheistical unbelieving heart have I, that can be moved at the
threatenings of a mortal man, that is but dust and ashes, and yet
cannot be moved with the threatenings of the great God! Consider
also, if a man had been so kind and bountiful to me, if I should
reward his kindness with unkindness, I should have been ashamed,
and have covered my face with shame; and yet how unkind have I
been unto God, that hath been so kind to me, and yet I never a whit
ashamed! If a friend should have come to me, and I have given him
no entertainment, what a shame were this! But yet how often hath
the Holy Ghost knocked at the door of my heart, and suggested
many holy motions into me of mortification, repentance, and
newness of life, yet notwithstanding I have given him the repulse,
opposed the outward means of grace, and have thought myself
unworthy of it; what a shame is this!
Thus, if we compare our carriage in earthly things with our carriage
in heavenly, this will be a means to work upon our hearts, inwardly
to humble ourselves. Thus was David abased; for when Nathan
came and told him of a rich man, who having many sheep, spared
his own and took away a poor man's, which was all that he had;
when David considered that he had so dealt with Uriah, he was
dejected and ashamed of his own courses. Let us labour to work our
hearts to humility, into true sorrow, shame, true fear, that so we
may have God to pity and respect us, who only doth regard a
humble soul. Thus we have seen some directions how we may come
to humble ourselves.
Further, There is an order, method, and agreement in these
reflected actions, when we turn the edge of our own souls upon
ourselves and examine ourselves; for the way that leads to rest is by
the examination of ourselves. We must examine ourselves strictly,
and then bring ourselves before God, judge and condemn ourselves;
for humiliation is a kind of execution. Examination leads to all the
rest. So, then, this is the order of our actions; there is examination
of ourselves strictly before God, then indicting ourselves, after that
comes judging of ourselves.
Oh that we could be brought to these inward reflected actions, to
examine indict, judge, and condemn ourselves, that so we might
spare God a labour, and so all things might go well with us!
3. Now I come to the third thing I propounded, the motives to move
us to get this humiliation.
(1.) First, Let us consider of the gracious promises that are made to
this disposition of humbling ourselves; as Isa. 57:15, 'For thus saith
he that is holy and excellent, he that inhabiteth eternity, whose
name is the Holy One; I dwell in the high and holy place, with him
also that is of an humble and contrite spirit, to revive the spirit of
the humble, and to give life to them that are of a contrite heart.' So
there is a promise that God will give grace to the humble. An
example of mercy in this kind we have in Manasseh, who, though a
very wicked man, yet because he humbled himself, obtained mercy.
Peter humbled himself, and David humbled himself, and both found
mercy. And so likewise Josiah; yea, and in James 4:10, we are bid to
'humble ourselves under the mighty hand of God, and he will exalt
us in due time.' There is the promise. Yea, every branch of
humiliation hath a promise. As confession of sins, if we confess and
forsake our sins, we shall have mercy and find pardon. So those that
judge themselves shall not be judged.
A humble heart is a vessel of all graces. It is a grace itself, and a
vessel of grace. It doth better the soul and make it holy, for the soul
is never fitter for God than when it is humbled. It is a fundamental
grace that gives strength to all other graces. So much humility, so
much grace. For according to the measure of humiliation is the
measure of other grace, because a humble heart hath in it a spiritual
emptiness. Humility emptieth the heart for God to fill it. If the heart
be emptied of temporal things, then it must needs be filled with
spiritual things; for nature abhorreth emptiness; grace much more.
When the heart is made low, there is a spiritual emptiness, and
what fills this up but the Spirit of God? In that measure we empty
ourselves, in that measure we are filled with the fulness of God.
When a man is humbled, he is fit for all good; but when he is proud,
he is fit for all ill, and beats back all good. God hath but two heavens
to dwell in; the heaven of heavens, and the heart of a poor humble
man. The proud swelling heart, that is full of ambition, high
conceits, and self-dependence, will not endure to have God to enter;
but he dwells largely and easily in the heart of an humble man. If
we will dwell in heaven hereafter, let us humble ourselves now. The
rich in themselves are sent 'empty away;' the humble soul is a rich
soul, rich in God; and therefore God regards the lowly and resists
the proud. As all the water that is upon the hills runs into the
valleys, so all grace goes to the humble. 'The mountains of Gilboa
are accursed,' 2 Sam. 1:21. So there is a curse upon pride, because it
will not yield to God.
(2.) Again, All outward actions benefit other men; but this inward
action of humbling a man's self makes the soul itself good.
(3.) An humble soul is a secure and safe soul; for a man that is not
high, but of a low stature, needs not to fear falling. A humble soul is
a safe soul;—safe in regard of outward troubles; for when we have
humbled ourselves, God needs not follow us with any other
judgment: safe, in regard of inward vexation or any trouble by God;
for when the soul hath brought itself low, and laid itself level as the
ground, then God ceaseth to afflict it. Will the ploughman plough
when he hath broken up the ground enough? or doth he delight in
breaking up the ground? See what Isaiah saith to this purpose in
chap. 28:28. When God seeth that a man hath abased himself, he
will not follow with any other judgment; such a one may say to God,
Lord, I have kept court in mine own conscience already, I have
humbled and judged myself, therefore do not thou judge me; I am
ready to do whatsoever thou wilt, and to suffer what thou wilt have
me. I have deserved worse a thousand times, but, Lord, remember I
am but dust and ashes. Thus God spares his labour when the soul
hath humbled itself. But if we do not do this ourselves, God will
take us in hand; for God will have but one God. Now if we will be
gods, to exalt ourselves, he must take us in hand to humble us,
either first or last. And is it not better for us to humble ourselves
than for God to give us up to the merciless rage and fury of men, for
them to humble us, or to fall into the hands of God, who is a
'consuming fire'? For when we accuse and judge ourselves, we
prevent much shame and sorrow. What is the reason God hath
given us up to shame and crosses in this world, but because we have
not humbled ourselves? What is the reason many are damned in
hell? Because God hath given them reason, judgment, and
affections, but they have not used them for themselves, to examine
their ways, whether they were in the state of condemnation or
salvation. They never used their affections and judgment to this
end, therefore God was forced to take them in hand. Well saith
Austin, all men must be humbled one way or other; either we must
humble ourselves or God will;* if we will do this ourselves, the
apostle promiseth, we shall not be judged of the Lord, 1 Cor. 11:31.
But we do not these things as we should, because it is a secret
action. We love to do things that the world may take notice of, but
this inward humiliation can only be seen by God, and by our own
consciences. Let these motives therefore stir us up to humble
ourselves, for humbled we must be by one way or other. How many
judgments might be avoided by humbling ourselves! How many
scandals might be prevented if we would judge ourselves! What is
the reason so many Christians fall into scandalous sins, whereby,
provoking God's anger, they fall into the hands of their enemies, but
because they spare themselves, and think this humbling themselves
a troublesome action. Therefore to spare themselves, they run on.
Because they would not work this upon themselves, they grow to be
in a desperate state at last. Wherefore upon any occasion be
humble, let us prepare ourselves to meet the Lord our God. When
we hear but any noise of the judgments of God, we should humble
ourselves, as good Josiah did; when he did but hear of the
threatenings against his land, it made him humble himself.
Quest. But here it may be demanded, considering that wicked men
do oftentimes humble themselves, being convinced in their
consciences, and thereupon ashamed,
4. How may we know holy from hypocritical humiliation? which is
the last thing I propounded concerning humiliation, namely, the
notes and marks whereby we may know true humiliation from false,
which are these.
Ans. 1. First, Holy humiliation is voluntary; for it is a reflected
action, which comes from a man's self. It ends where it begins.
Therefore Josiah is said to humble himself. But, on the contrary, the
humiliation of other men is against their will. False humiliation is
not voluntary, but by force it is extorted from them. God is fain to
break, crush, and deal hardly with them, which they grieve and
murmur at. But the children of God have the Spirit of God, which is
a free Spirit, that sets their hearts at liberty. For God's Spirit is a
working Spirit, that works upon their hearts, and hereby they
willingly humble themselves, whereas the wicked, wanting this
Spirit of God, cannot humble themselves willingly, but are cast
down against their wills. For God can pluck down the proudest. He
can break Pharaoh's courage, who, though he was humbled, yet he
did not humble himself. A man may be humbled, and yet not
humble. But the children of God are to humble themselves, not that
the grace whereby we humble ourselves is from ourselves; but we
are said to humble ourselves, when God doth rule the parts he hath
given us, when he sets our wits and understanding on work to see
our misery, and then our will and affection to work upon these.
Thus we are said to humble ourselves when God works in us. An
hypocrite God may humble and work by him. He may work by
graceless persons, but he doth not work in them. But God's children
have God's Spirit in them, not only working in* them his own
works, as he doth by hypocrites and sinful persons, but his Spirit
works in them. So that here is the main difference between true
humiliation and that which is counterfeit. The one is voluntary,
being a reflected action, to work upon and to humble ourselves; but
the other is a forced humiliation.
2. Again, True humiliation is ever joined with reformation. Humble
thyself and walk with thy God, saith the prophet: Micah 6:8, 'He
hath shewed thee, O man, what he doth require of thee, to humble
thyself, and walk with thy God.' Now the humiliation of wicked men
is never joined with reformation. There is no walking with God.
Josiah reformed himself and his people to outward obedience, as
much as he could, but he had not their hearts at command.
3. Again, Sin must appear bitter to the soul, else we shall never be
truly humbled for it. There is in every renewed soul a secret hatred
and loathing of evil, which manifests the soundness both of true
humiliation and reformation, and is expressed in three things.
(1.) In a serious purpose and resolution not to offend God in the
least kind. The drunkard must purpose to leave his drunkenness,
and the swearer resolve between God and his own heart, to forsake
his base courses, and cry mightily herein for help from above.
(2.) Secondly, There must be a constant endeavour to avoid the
occasions and allurements of sin. Thus Job made a covenant with
his eyes, that 'he would not look upon a maid,' Job 31:1; and thus
every unclean and filthy person should make a covenant with
themselves against the sins which they are most addicted unto.
When they came to serve God, in Hosea, then 'away with idols,'
Hosea. 14:8. So must we, when we look heavenward, cast from us all
our sins whatsoever.
(3.) Thirdly, There must be a hatred and loathing of sin in our
confessions. We must confess it with all the circumstances, the time
when, and place where. We must aggravate our offences, as David
did: 'Against thee have I sinned, and done this evil in thy sight;' Ps.
51:4; and as the apostle: 'I was a blasphemer, I was a persecutor,' I
was thus and thus. He did not extenuate his sin, and say, the rulers
commanded me so to do; but, 'I persecuted the church' out of the
wickedness of mine own heart. A true Christian will not hide his
sins, but lay them open, the more to abase himself before God. This
aggravating of our sins will make them more vile unto us, and us
more humble in the sight of them. True reformation of life is ever
joined with an indignation of all sin, there is such a contrariety in
the nature of a child of God against all evil.
[1.]* We should therefore first hate sin universally; not one sin, but
every kind of sin, and that most of all which most rules in us, and
which is most prevalent in our own hearts. A sincere Christian hates
sin in himself most. We must not hate that in another which we
cherish in ourselves.
[2.] We should hate sin the more, the nearer it comes to us, in our
children and friends, or any other way. It was David's fault to let
Absalom his son go unreproved in his wicked practices, and Eli for
not correcting his sons. We see what came of it, even their utter
overthrow.
[3.] He that truly hates sin will not think much to be admonished
and reproved when he errs. A man that hath a bad plant in his
ground, that will eat out the heart of it, will not hate another that
shall discover such an evil to him; so if any one shall reprove thee
for this or that sin, and thou hate him for it, it is a sign corruption is
sweet to thee.
Only this caution must be remembered, reproof must not be given
with a proud spirit, but in a loving, mild manner, with desire of
doing good. There is a great deal of self-love in some men, who,
instead of hating sin in themselves and others, approve and
countenance it, especially in great men, flattering them in their base
humours, and fearing lest by telling them the truth they should be
esteemed their enemies.
[4.] Our hatred of sin may be discerned by our willingness to talk of
it. He that hates a snake, or toad, will flee from it; so a man that
truly abhors sin, will not endure to come near the occasions of it.
What shall we say then of those that prostitute themselves to all
sinful delights? As hatred of sin is in our affection, so it will appear
in our actions. Those that love to see sin acted did never as yet truly
loathe it.
It is a sign that we do not hate sin when we take not to heart the
sins of our land. 'Woe is me that I am constrained to dwell in the
tents of Kedar,' saith David; 'mine eyes gush out with tears because
men keep not thy law,' Ps. 120:5. Lot's soul was vexed at the unclean
conversation of the wicked, 2 Peter 2:7. But, alas! how do we come
short of this! The greatest number are so far from mourning for the
abominations of the land, that they rather set themselves against
God in a most disobedient manner, and press others to sin against
him. Are magistrates of David's mind, to labour to cut off all
workers of iniquity from the land? Indeed, for small trifling things
they will do a man justice, but where is the tenderness of God's
glory? Where are those that seek to reform idolatry, Sabbath-
breaking, and profaneness amongst us? Pity it is to see how many
do hold the stirrup to the devil, by giving occasions and
encouragements to others to commit evil. Do we hate sin, when we
are like tinder, ready to receive the least motion to it, as our
fashion-mongers, who transform themselves into every effeminate
unbeseeming guise? Shall we say that these men hate sin, which,
when they are reproved for it, labour to defend it or excuse it,
counting their pride but comeliness, their miserable covetousness
but thirst, and drunkenness only good fellowship?
To strengthen our indignation against sin the better, consider,
1. The ugliness thereof, how opposite and distasteful it is to the
Almighty, as appears in Sodom and in the old world. It is that for
which God himself hates his own creature, and for which he will say
to the wicked at the day of judgment, 'Go, ye cursed, into everlasting
fire,' Mat. 25:41. Sin is the cause of all those diseases and crosses
that befall the sons of men. It hath its rise from the devil, who is the
father of it, and whose lusts we do whensoever we offend God.
There is not the least sin but it is committed against an infinite
majesty, yea, against a good God, to whom we owe ourselves and all
that we have, who waits when you will turn to him and live for ever;
but if you despise his goodness, and continue still to provoke the
eyes of his glory, is a terrible and revengeful* God, and ready every
moment to destroy both body and soul in hell.
Sin is the bane of all comfort. That which we love more than our
souls undoes us. It embitters every comfort, and makes that we
cannot perform duties with spiritual life. Our very prayers are
abominable to God so long as we live in known sin. What makes the
hour of death and the day of judgment terrible but this?
2. Again, Grow in the love of God. The more we delight in him, the
more we shall hate whatsoever is contrary to him. In that
proportion that we affect God and his truth we will abhor every evil
way, for these go together. Ye that love the Lord, hate the thing that
is ill. The nearer we draw to him, the farther we are separated from
everything below.
3. And to strengthen our indignation against sin, we should drive
our affections another way, and set them upon the right object. A
Christian should consider, Wherefore did God give me this affection
of love? Was it to set it on this or that lust, or any sinful course? Or
hath he given me this affection of hatred that I should envy my
brethren, and condemn the good way? No, surely. I ought to
improve every faculty of my soul to the glory of the giver, by loving
that which he loves, and hating that which he hates. God's truth, his
ways, and children, are objects worthy our love, and Satan with his
deeds of darkness the fittest subjects of our indignation and hatred.
4. Fourthly, True humiliation proceeds from faith, and is in the
faithful not only when judgment is upon them, but before the
judgment comes, which they foreseeing by faith, do humble
themselves. True humiliation quakes at the threatenings, for the
very frowns of a father will terrify a dutiful child. As Josiah, when
he did but hear of the threatenings against the land, he humbled
himself in dust and ashes. 'He rent his clothes.' So true humiliation
doth quake at the foresight of judgment, but the wicked never
humble themselves but when the judgment is upon them. Carnal
people are like men that, hearing thunder-claps afar off, are never a
whit moved; but when it is present over their heads, then they
tremble. So hypocrites care not for judgments afar off; as now when
the church of God is in misery abroad we bless ourselves, and think
all is well. It is no thanks for a man to be humbled when the
judgment is upon him, for so Pharaoh was, who yet, when the
judgment was off, then he goes to his old bias again.
Let us try our humiliation by these signs, whether we can willingly
humble ourselves privately before God, and call ourselves to a
reckoning; whether we add reformation of life to outward
humiliation, when our heart doth tell us that we live in such and
such sins; whether our hearts tremble at the threatenings, when we
hear of judgments public or private. What is the ground that may
deceive themselves? They say, if any judgment come upon them,
then they will repent, and cry to God for mercy; and why should I
deny myself of my pleasures of sin before? Oh, this is but a forced
humiliation, not from love to God, but love to thyself. It is not free,
therefore thou mayest go to hell with it. Others defer off their
repentance till it be too late. When they have any sickness upon
them they will cry to God for mercy. This is but Ahab's and
Pharaoh's humiliation. It is not out of any love to God, but merely
forced. It is too late to do it when God hath seized upon us by any
judgment. Do it when he doth threaten, and now he hath seized
upon the parts of the church abroad already; therefore now meet
thy God by repentance.
5. A fifth difference between true humiliation and false is, that with
true humiliation is joined hope, to raise up our souls with some
comfort, else it is a desperation, not a humiliation. The devils do
chafe, vex, and fret themselves, in regard of their desperate estate,
because they have no hope. If there be no hope, it is impossible
there should be true and sound humiliation; but true humiliation
doth carry us to God, that what we have taken out of ourselves by
humiliation, we may recover it in God. Therefore humility is such a
grace, that though it make us nothing in ourselves, yet doth it carry
us to God, who is all in all. Humiliation works between God and
ourselves, and makes the heart leave itself, to plant and pitch itself
upon God, and looks for comfort and assurance from him. And
where there is not this there is no true humiliation. There is
nothing more profitable in the world than humility, because, though
it seem to have nothing, yet it carrieth the soul to him that fills all
in all. Hence it is, that there is an abasing of ourselves for anything
that we have done amiss, from love to God and love to his people,
but yet it is joined with hope. We know God to be a gracious God
unto us, and therefore we humble ourselves, and are grieved for
offending of him.
6. A sixth difference between true humiliation and false is this, That
hypocrites are sorrowful for the judgment that is upon them; but
not for that which is the cause of the judgment, which is sin; but the
child of God, he is humbled for sin, which is the cause of all
judgments. As good Josiah, when he heard read out of
Deuteronomy the curses threatened for sin, and comparing the sins
of his people with the sins against which the curses were
threatened, he humbled himself for his sin and the sins of his
people. For God's children know, if there were no iniquity in them,
there should no adversity hurt them; and therefore they run to the
cause, and are humbled for that. Whereas the wicked, they humble
themselves only because of the smart and trouble which they do
endure.
7. The last difference between true humiliation and false is this, that
true humiliation is a thorough humiliation. Therefore it is twice
repeated in this verse, 'thou didst humble thyself before God;' when
thou heardest the words against this place, and against the
inhabitants thereof, 'and humbledst thyself before me.' It is twice
repeated in this verse, and afterward expressed by 'rending of
clothes,' and 'tears.' It was thorough humiliation. For he dwelt upon
the humbling of his own soul. So that the children of God
thoroughly humble themselves, but the hypocrite, when he doth
humble himself, it is not thoroughly. They count it a light matter. As
soon as the judgment is off, they have forgotten their humiliation,
as Pharaoh did. Many will heave a few sighs, and hang down the
head like a bulrush for a time; but it is, like Ephraim's morning dew,
quickly gone. They have no sound and thorough humiliation. It is
but a mere offer of humiliation. Whereas the children of God, when
they begin, they never cease working upon their own hearts with
meditation, until they have brought their heart to a blessed temper,
as we see in David, Ezra, Nehemiah, and Daniel, how they did
humble themselves.
But why do God's children take pains in humbling themselves?
Partly because it must be done to purpose, else God will not accept
it; and partly because there is a great deal of hardness and pride in
the best, and much ado before a man can be brought for to humble
himself. Therefore we must labour for this. We see what ado there
was before Job could be brought to humble himself. Yet Job must
be humbled before there comes 'one of a thousand' to comfort him,
as Job 33:23. If a man be once thoroughly and truly humbled, he
shall soon have comfort. By these marks we may know true
humiliation from an humiliation counterfeit.
Quest. But here may arise another question, How may we know
when we are humbled enough, or when we are grieved enough?
Ans. To this I answer, 1. That there is not the same measure of
humiliation required in all. For those whom God did pick out for
some great work, he doth more humble them than others, as he did
Moses and Paul before he wrought the great work of converting the
Gentiles. So David, before he came to be king, was a long time
humbled.
2. Again, There are others that have been greater sinners, and more
openly wicked in their courses than others, and in them a greater
measure of humiliation is required.
3. Again, There are others that are more tenderly brought up from
childhood, who have often renewed their repentance. These need
not to be humbled so much as others; for humiliation should be
proportionable unto the sinful estate of the soul; which because it
differs in divers men, in like manner their humiliation ought to
differ. But to answer the question more directly, we are said to be
humbled enough,
1. First, When we have wrought our souls to a hearty grief that we
have offended God, when we have a perfect and inward hatred of all
sin, and when thou dost shew the truth of thy grief by leaving off
thy sinful courses. So that, dost thou hate and leave thy sinful
course? Then thou art sufficiently humbled. Go away with peace
and comfort, thy sins are forgiven thee. Therefore it is not a slight
humiliation that will serve the turn, but our hearts must be wrought
unto a perfect hatred and leaving of all sins; for if this be not, we are
not sufficiently humbled as yet. And when we find ourselves to hate
and leave sin in some measure, then fasten our souls by faith, as
much as may be, upon the mercy of God in Jesus Christ. For the
soul hath two eyes, the one to look upon itself and our vileness, to
humble us the more; the other, to fasten upon the mercy of God in
Christ, to raise up our souls. For if the whole soul were fastened
upon its own misery and vileness, then there could not be that
humiliation which ought to be, neither could we serve God with
such cheerfulness; therefore we must have our souls raised up to
God's mercy. Now let us labour for the first, because the devil is so
main an enemy unto it; for he knows well enough, that so much as
we are humble and go out of ourselves to God, and rest upon him,
so much we stand impregnable against his temptations, that he
cannot prevail against us; and so much as we do not trust in God,
but upon the creature, so much must we lie open to his snares.
Therefore all his temptations tend to draw us to trust in the
creature, to have a conceit of ourselves, and to draw our hearts from
relying upon God. His first plot is always to make us rest in
ourselves. Therefore let us labour to go out of ourselves, to see a
vanity in ourselves, and a happiness in God, that so going out of
ourselves, and relying upon God and his mercies, we may stand safe
against Satan's temptations.
Use. This should teach us to take heed of such affections as tend
directly contrary to humiliation; for how can it be but that those
should be proud, that hold the doctrine of the Church of Rome, as,
first, that we have no original sin in us, but it is taken away by
baptism; that we are able to fulfil the law fully in this life. This is
presumptuous. Whereas Paul cries out after baptism, 'O wretched
man that I am, who shall deliver me from this body of death!' Rom.
7:24. Nay, they can do more, namely, works of supererogation,
whereby they merit heaven. How do these blow up the heart of man,
and make it swell with pride! This must needs make men very
proud, to think that a man can merit by works. With such
blasphemous opinions they have infected the world, and led captive
millions of souls into hell. Therefore let this be a rule of discerning
true religion; for surely that is true religion which doth make us go
out of ourselves; that takes away all from ourselves and gives all the
glory to God; which makes us to plead for salvation by the mercy of
God through the merits of Christ. But our religion doth teach us
thus. Therefore it is the true religion, and will yield us sound
comfort at the last. Thus much for inward humiliation, the
humbling of ourselves, as Josiah did.
THE ART OF MOURNING
SERMON III
But because thine heart was tender, and thou didst humble thyself
before God, when thou heardest his words against this place, and
against the inhabitants thereof, and humbledst thyself before me,
and didst rend thy clothes, and weep before me; I have even heard
thee also, saith the Lord.—2 CHRON. 34:27.
As the waters issuing from the sanctuary, mentioned by the prophet
Ezekiel, grew deeper and deeper; first to the ancles, then to the
knees, and after to the loins, until it came to an overflowing river, so
hath it fared with us in handling of this text; wherein, from
tenderness of heart, we have waded deeper and deeper through the
mysteries of humiliation in the inward man, until at length from
thence we are broken forth to the outward expressions of Josiah's
inward humiliation, his 'rending of his clothes,' and overflowing
floods of 'tears;' which sprung partly from his apprehension of ruin
at hand, to come upon God's sanctuary, and partly from the sorrow
and sense of sin in himself and the people, as causes of his fear.
But to come to the text now read in your hearing, 'And didst rend
thy clothes, and weep before me,' here we have set down the
outward expression of Josiah's inward humiliation.
For true humiliation shews itself as well outwardly as inwardly.
Now, the outward expression of his inward affection is set down in
two things:
1. By rending of his clothes; 2. By his weeping.
No doubt but he did express his sorrow as well by words as by these
gestures, although they be not here set down with the other; for he
might for the time be surprised with so great a measure of sorrow
and grief, as could not be expressed presently at that instant, or we
may conceive that for the time he was so thoroughly humbled, that
he could not speak orderly. Wherefore God did regard and look
more to his affections and tears than to his words, for he rent his
clothes and wept before God. As it is written of the poor publican,
that he could not say much, and looked down with his eyes, saying,
'Lord, be merciful to me a sinner,' Luke 18:13; and as it was with the
poor woman in the gospel who came to Christ weeping, and washed
his feet with her tears, yet she said nothing, Luke 7:38; and as when
Christ, upon the cock's third crowing, looked upon Peter, we find
not what he said, but that he went out and wept bitterly, Luke 22:61,
62; so here, we may imagine Josiah's affection was too full of
sorrow to speak distinctly and composedly; for from a troubled soul
can proceed nothing but troubled words; from a broken heart comes
broken language. But howsoever, likely it is that Josiah did speak
somewhat; for God saith, 'I have even also heard thee.' But to leave
this and come to the outward expressions here set down, let us
learn somewhat from his rending of his clothes and weeping.
'Rending of clothes' was a thing frequently used in old times, as we
see in the Scriptures; and it was a visible representation of the
inward sorrow of the heart. Job rent his clothes, Job 1:20; his
friends rent their clothes, Job 2:12; Paul and Barnabas rent theirs,
Acts 14:14; the high priest rent his clothes, being to accuse Christ,
Mark 14:63; and Hezekiah rent his clothes when he heard the words
of Rabshakeh, Isa. 37:1. Nay, this was a common action, and
frequently used among the heathen also; for they likewise, upon
any disastrous accident, were used to rend their clothes; as we read
of a heathen king, that having his city invaded round about with
enemies, rent his clothes.* So that it hath been the custom both of
God's church and also of heathen, to rend their clothes. But what is
the ground or reason of this? The reason of such their rending of
clothes was, because that in their sorrow they thought themselves
unworthy to wear any. They forgat all the comforts of this life; as
holy Josiah forgets his estate, his throne, his royal majesty, and
crown. He looks up to the great God, and considers duly whom he
stood under, and the miserable estate of the people, over whom he
was governor; and thereupon he rends his clothes, shewing hereby
that he was unworthy of those ornaments wherewith he was
covered. We know that clothes have divers uses; as,
1. First, For necessity, to cover our nakedness, and to preserve from
the injuries of the weather.
2. Secondly, Clothes are given for distinction of sexes and degrees:
to know the great man from the mean, the woman from the man.
3. And lastly, They serve for ornaments to honour our vile flesh,
which is so base that it must fetch ornaments from base creatures.
Now, so far as they served for ornaments, he rent his clothes, as
thinking himself unworthy of any garments; for he being in grief
doth rend his clothes, thinking with himself, why should I stand
upon clothes and outward things to cover me? God is angry. Till he
be appeased I will take no pleasure in any earthly thing. Therefore,
apprehending the wrath of God, he rent his clothes. Well, this is but
an outward expression, and therefore it must proceed from inward
truth. This rending of clothes was a national ceremony, which
seeing we have not used amongst us, we must rend our hearts with
grief. For the rending of clothes shews the rending of the heart
before, without which there is no acceptance with God; for the
rending of the clothes without the rending of the heart is but
hypocrisy; as Joel 2:13, he says, 'Rend your hearts, and not your
garments, ye hypocrites.' So that outward expressions of sorrow are
no further good, than when they come from inward grief and
affection. Now, when both these are joined together it is a comely
thing; for wherein stands comeliness but when all the parts of our
body do agree in proportion, when one limb is not bigger than
another? So it is uncomely and an hypocritical thing for a man to
have all outward expression and yet to have no inward grief. This is
but acting of humiliation, when we hang down the head like a
bulrush, and the heart is not sound. But outward expressions are
good when the heart is grieved to purpose; when they proceed from
inward humiliation.
Quest. And why ought this to be?
Ans. Because both body and soul have a part in the action of sin.
Therefore it is needful that they should be joined in humiliation for
sin. There is no sin of the body but the soul hath part in it, nor any
sin in the soul but the body hath part in it. Therefore both body and
soul should be humbled together. Labour then to have outward
expressions and shows of sorrow come from a true sorrowful heart.
There be two things in the religious actions of men.
1. There is the outward action or expression.
2. There is the inward, which gives life to the other.
The outward is easy, and subject to hypocrisy. It is an easy matter to
rend clothes and to force tears, but it is a hard matter to afflict the
soul. The heart of man taketh the easiest ways, and lets the hardest
alone, thinking to please God with that. But God will not be served
so; for he must have the inward affections, or else he doth abhor the
outward actions. Therefore let us as well labour for humble hearts
as humble gestures. We must rend our hearts and not our clothes,
when we come into the presence of God. We must labour, as to
shew humility, so to have humility, that so we be not like
hypocrites, who make show of a great deal of devotion in carriage,
but yet have none in heart; a great deal of outward humiliation,
whenas they have none within.
The papists are wicked and erroneous in all their devotions,
especially in the point of justification, and in other points of the
worship of God; for is it not a superstitious error, to think to please
God with outward observations, when they do not come from
inward truth? Their religion is all an outside, consisting merely of
outward performances. But true devotion, the Scripture teacheth,
cometh from a heart judicially understanding the case of its own
self; considering what a great God it hath to deal withal, a God full
of glory and majesty. Doth God love blind sacrifices? No. Devotion
must come from the heart, and spread itself from thence into the
countenance and carriage. For then it is true, when the outward
expression doth shew the inward disposition.
Use. This reproves the negligence of people in these times. Where is
their inward humiliation? Nay, where is their outward humiliation?
In popery, there is an acting of humiliation. They whip themselves
in their bodies, and other such outward fooleries and gestures they
have in their hypocritical devotions. Thus do they in some sort
humble themselves. But how few are there amongst us that humble
themselves in apprehension of their own misery, who yet, if they
look to their own persons, have cause enough! Yea, and how few are
there that are humbled for the miseries of the church abroad!
Where shall we find a mourning soul?
Well, seeing it is not a custom amongst us to rend our clothes, yet
let us make conscience of being proud in apparel; for it is a wicked
and a fearful thing when men will regard some wicked and foolish
fashion, and set more by it than by God's favour, threatenings, and
judgments abroad. Many there are that, instead of rending their
clothes, come into God's house to shew their bravery; to see and to
be seen. Where they should most of all humble themselves, there
they come to shew their pride, even before God. Whereas they
should come to hear the voice of the great God of heaven, and stand
in his presence, who is a 'consuming fire.' Before whom the very
angels cover their faces and the earth trembles, they, contrariwise,
come to outface and provoke him with their pride. We see Josiah,
though he were a king, he rent his clothes, forgot all his bravery,
and considers himself not so much a king over the people, over
whom God had set him, as a subject to God. Wherefore, though, as I
said, the custom of rending of clothes be not used in our church, yet
let us ever make conscience of rending our hearts, and so to make
our peace with God, as this good king did. It follows;—
'And weptest before me.'
In which words is set down the second outward expression of
Josiah's inward humiliation, which is 'weeping.' This came nearer to
him than rending of clothes, for it touched his body. Hence, in a
word, observe,
Doct. 1. That the body and soul must join together in the action of
humiliation, for the soul and body go together in the acting of sin,
therefore they must go together in humiliation. As they were both
made by God, and redeemed by Christ, so they sin and practise good
together. Now I will shew three ways wherein the soul and body
have communion one with another, whereby it may appear how
reasonable and fitting a thing it is they should be both humbled
together.
1. First, The soul and body have communion together by way of
impression or information; for sensible things have an impression
upon the senses, and so come into the soul; for nothing comes into
it but through the senses of the body; because, though the soul may
imagine golden mountains, and things that it never saw, yet the
working of the soul depends upon the body, for the body informs it
of all outward objects. As the body is beholding to the soul for the
ruling and guiding of it, so the soul is beholding to the body for
many things; as now in the very sacrament, God helps the soul with
the senses; Christ, as it were, in the sacrament enters through the
senses more lively than in the preaching of the word, for there he
enters in by the ears, but in the sacrament he is seen, tasted,
handled, felt. So that the soul and body have communion together
by way of information.
2. Secondly, The soul and body have communion together by way of
temptation; for the soul standing in need of many outward things
which are pleasing and delightful, and having sympathy with the
body, it is led away by the body. Outward objects are pleasing to the
senses of carnal men. Now these passing through the senses into
the soul, it is led away, and so they become a dangerous temptation.
3. Thirdly, The soul and the body have communion together, both in
sinful and in good actions, by way of subjection or execution; for
God hath made the body, with the parts thereof, to be the
instruments and weapons of the soul. The body is a house wherein
the soul is kept. It is a shop for the soul. Now the soul useth the
body, with the members thereof, as instruments or weapons, either
to honour God or dishonour him. The wicked fight against God with
all the members of their body, with their eyes, tongue, feet, hands.
Now the body having thus a part in sin, as well as the soul, therefore
it is necessary that the body and soul should join together in
humiliation.
Caution. Here we must take heed of a notable sleight of the devil in
popery. The papists think the body only in fault for sin, and
therefore they humble and afflict their bodies for it, while they puff
up their soul with pride, a conceit of merit and satisfaction. They are
falsely humble and truly proud, while they afflict the body and omit
the soul. They are falsely humbled, because they humble their body
only; but truly proud, because they think by afflicting and humbling
their bodies to merit. But let us take heed of this gross error, and
remember to let both soul and body join in the work.
Doct. 2. The second thing here to be noted is, that when God will
afflict or humble a man, it is not a kingdom that will save him. As
Josiah, though he were a monarch,—for he was an absolute
monarch,—yet if God threaten, his kingdom can do him no good. If
God will abase men, whether they be his children or enemies, it is
not a kingdom can protect them. When God shewed Belshazzar the
handwriting upon the wall, he could take no comfort in anything,
Dan. 5:5; yea, his dear children, if he shew but tokens of his
displeasure against them, though they be kings, as Josiah was, yet
he can humble them. If God roar, it is not their greatness can keep
them; if not now, yet he will make them to tremble hereafter.
Doct. 3. The third thing here that we learn from the example of
Josiah, being a king, is, That tears and mourning for sin, when it
comes from inward grief, is a temper well befitting any man. It is a
carriage befitting a king. It is not unbeseeming any, of what sex or
degree soever. It is no womanish or base thing. When one hath to
deal with God, he must forget his estate and take the best way to
meet with God. This is evident by many instances, for David, though
a man of war, yet when he had to deal with God he watered his
couch with his tears, Ps. 6:6. So Hezekiah, though a great king, yet
he humbled himself, Isa. 38:1, seq. Nay, our blessed Saviour himself
did it 'with strong cries and tears,' Heb. 5:7, when he had to deal
with God.
Use. This serves for the justification of this holy abasement and
humbling of ourselves. When we have to deal with God, then all
abasement is little enough. 'I will be yet more vile than thus,' saith
holy David, 2 Sam. 6:22. So let us say when we have to deal with
God; I will be yet more vile, and so cast ourselves down before the
Lord. All expression of devotion is little enough, so it be without
hypocrisy. Yet I pray give me leave once again to give warning unto
you concerning outward actions, for most have conceived wrong of
devotion and humiliation. They think that devotion is only in
outward actions; as in outward act to hear a little, to read, confer, or
pray a little, whereas in truth these outward acts do only make up
the body of devotion, which, without the soul, namely, the inward
religious affection, looking unto God, is no better than a dead
carrion. Our outward expression must come from the apprehension
of the goodness, mercy, and justice of God, before whom the very
angels veil their faces. It is not outward devotion that will serve the
turn, as to come to the church with this bare conceit and
forethought; I will go pray, and kneel, and express all outward
carriage, in the meantime neglecting to stir up the soul to worship
God with these or like thoughts; I will go to the place where God is,
where his truth is, where his angels are, to hear that word whereby I
shall be judged at the last day. Therefore let all holy actions come
from within first, and thence to the outward man. Let us work upon
our hearts a consideration of the goodness, justice, majesty, and
mercy of God, and then let there be an expression in body, such as
may bring men off from their sins; for else there is a spirit of
superstition that will draw men far from God in seeming services,
conceiving that God will accept of outward and formal expressions
only. Well, we see that weeping and mourning for sins is a carriage
not unbeseeming for a king. Therefore it is a desperate madness not
to humble ourselves and be abased, now we have to deal with God.
Your desperate atheists of the world will not tremble at
threatenings, nor humble themselves till death comes, which
humbles them and makes them tremble; whereas, on the contrary,
that soul which, feeling the wrath of God, humbles itself betimes,
and trembles at threatenings, that soul, I say,—when the great
judgment of death comes, and appearance before God,—looks death
in the face with comfort; whereas your desperate atheists, that can
now scorn God, swear at every word, and blaspheme God to his face;
let God but shew his displeasure, they tremble and quake upon any
noise of fear. Therefore when we have to deal with God, it is
wisdom, and the ground of all courage, to humble and abase
ourselves with fear, as Josiah did although he were a king.
'And thou didst weep before me.'
His tender heart did melt itself into tears. In the first clause of the
verse you have his tender heart set down, and here we have the
melting of the tender heart. There we have the cloud, here we have
the shower. Therefore I will speak something of the original of
tears. We know that tears are strained from the inward parts,
through the eyes; for the understanding first conceiveth cause of
grief upon the heart, after which the heart sends up matter of grief
to the brain, and the brain being of a cold nature, doth distil it down
into tears; so that if the grief be sharp and piercing, there will follow
tears after from most. But to come to the particulars; we see the
provoking cause of tears, from without, in Josiah, was the danger of
his kingdom, hearing the judgment of God threatened against his
country and place. Whence, for the instruction of magistrates, I will
enforce this point.
Doct. 4. That it concerns magistrates above all others, to take to
heart any danger whatsoever, that is upon their people; for as kings
are set above all other people in place, so they should be above them
in goodness and grace. They ought, above all others, to take to heart
any judgment, either upon them already, or feared; as good Josiah
did, whom, while he looked not so much to himself and his own
good, as to that state whereof he was king, the very threatenings of
judgment against it, made to express his grief with tears. The bond
that knits the king to the people, and the people to the king,
requires this; for kings are heads, and shepherds over the people.
Now the shepherd watcheth over his flock; the head is quickly
sensible of any hurt of the body; all the senses are provident for the
body. So it should be with all great persons in authority. They
should cherish the good estate of the subjects as their own; for they
are committed to their care. And even as the head doth care for the
body, and forecast for it, so those that are in authority should
forecast for any good to the body of the commonwealth. An
excellent example of this we have in holy David; who, when there
was a judgment coming upon his people, Lord, saith he, let the
judgment come upon me and my father's house; what have these
sheep done?' 2 Sam. 24:17. And surely such magistrates as are
tenderly affected with the case of those under them, shall lose
nothing by it; for the people likewise will carry a tender affection
towards them again. As we see, when the people went to fight
against Absalom, they would not let David go with them, but they
said to him, 'Thou art worth ten thousand of us,' 2 Sam. 18:3; that is,
they had rather that ten thousand of them should die in the battle,
than that David should have any hurt come to him; so he lost
nothing for his love and affection towards the people, for they
shewed the like love to him in his distress. So likewise when Josiah
was dead, the people wept largely for him (for with him perished all
the glory of that flourishing kingdom), as we may read in the story,
2 Chron. 35:24, 25, compared with Zech. 12:11. They mourned for
him with an exceeding great mourning, in Hadadrimmon, in the
valley of Megiddo. So that there is no love lost between the
magistrate and the people; for if the magistrate be tenderly affected
to them, the people will likewise weep for him again, and lament his
case in his distress. But now to come to a more general instruction,
we will leave speaking of Josiah as king, and take him into
consideration as an holy man, and make him a pattern unto us all,
of whatsoever civil condition we be; and so we learn this point,
Doct. 5. That it is the duty of every Christian to take to heart the
threatenings of God against the place and people where he doth live;
to take to heart the afflictions and miseries of the church and
commonwealth, the grievances of others as well as his own. The
mourning and weeping of Josiah was for the estate of the church,
when he heard the judgment threatened against the place and
inhabitants thereof. There be tears of compassion for ourselves and
for others. There were both of them in Josiah; for no doubt but he
wept for himself and his own sins, and over and above his own had
special tears of compassion for his people. Thus then it becomes a
Christian that will have the reward of Josiah, to abase his heart as
he did for the estate of the church. Good Nehemiah took to heart
the grief of his country. The joy of his own preferment did not so
much glad him, as the grief for his nation the Jews cast him down.
What joy can a true heart have, now the church of God is in
affliction? We are all of one house. When one part of the house is a-
fire, the other part had need to look to itself. There were many
things wrought upon the heart of Josiah, which caused him to weep;
so there are many causes should move us, as the seeing of the sins
that are committed in the land ought to make us grieve, and to
express our grief one way or other. And the love of Christ, were it in
us, would make us mourn; as when we hear God blasphemed, and
his name dishonoured, and when we see the people bent to idolatry;
how can this but break even a heart of stone, nay, a gracious heart
will mourn and weep for the judgment of God upon wicked men,
considering them as men, and as the creatures of God. Thus Christ
wept for the wicked Jews in Jerusalem, though they were his
enemies: 'O Jerusalem, Jerusalem,' &c., Luke 19:41; and so good
Jeremiah, though he were ill used, and exceedingly abused by the
people, yet he saith, 'Oh that my head were water, and mine eyes a
fountain of tears, that I might weep day and night for them,' Jer. 9:1.
Though they had wronged, persecuted, and counted him a
contentious fellow, only because he taught the truth of God; yet
such was the affection of tender-hearted Jeremiah, that he desired
that he might weep day and night for them. But continual weeping
must have a lasting spring affording continual issues of tears, which
Jeremiah not finding in himself (such is the dryness of every man's
heart, that it is soon emptied of tears), and thereupon fearing he
should not weep enough, he doth earnestly desire it, and if hearty
wishes may obtain, he would have it to be supplied with a plentiful
measure of tears in his lamentation for the ensuing calamity of his
people: 'O that mine head were a well of water, and mine eyes a
fountain of tears, that I might weep day and night for the slain of
the daughter of my people!'
Quest. But why did not Jeremiah rather pray that they had a
fountain of tears to weep for themselves?
Ans. Because he, knowing the hardness of their hearts, thought it to
no end to entreat them to weep for themselves. Their hearts were
harder than the nether millstone. They never desired it, yet he
weeps for them. Thus we see how godly men have been formerly
affected, and [that] it is our duty even to weep and mourn for the
very wicked. We have matter enough of lamentation and weepings
at this day, if we look abroad; and at home, if we look to judgments
felt and feared, we have cause to weep, before the decree come out
against us. Therefore we should meet God beforehand. It is no
thank for a man to be humbled when the judgment is come upon
him; but when we can weep before the judgment is come, it is a sign
of faith. Happy were we if faith could make us do that which sense
makes wicked men to do. If the believing of the judgment before it
come would make us seek unto God, Oh how God would love such a
one! This should teach us every one to mourn; and indeed a
Christian soul cannot but do it, and that for divers reasons.
1. First, Because of that sympathy between the Head and the
members. A Christian hath the spirit of Christ, who takes to heart
the miseries of the church. Now, can that spirit of Christ be in any,
and he not affected as Christ in heaven is affected? Surely no.
2. Again, It must needs be so in regard of the communion which is
between the members of the body. We are all a part of one mystical
body, whereof Christ is the head. What member can he be of this
body that doth not take to heart the miseries of the other members?
There is want of life where there is no sense of misery.
3. Thirdly, Where there is true grace there will be weeping and
mourning for the church, in regard of the insolency of the church's
enemies and their blasphemous speeches. Where is now their God?
their religion? What is now become of their Reformation? What
child can hear the reproach and dishonour of God his Father
without bowels of compassion?
4. Again, A gracious man will weep in regard of the danger of not
mourning; for by not mourning we have a kind of guilt lying upon
us, for we make the sins and miseries of the church our own, as
Paul tells the Corinthians, reproving them for not mourning, 1 Cor.
5:2. Therefore as we are a part of the body, so we must have a part
of the shame and grief. Again, God hath promised to mark and
single out all those that mourn for the sins of the time; therefore,
on the contrary, those that do not mourn are in a dangerous estate,
Ezek. 9:4.
5. Again, We must add reformation unto lamentation, else the
whole church and commonwealth is in danger. If Achan be not
sought out and punished, the whole state is in danger, and lies open
to the wrath of God.
For these reasons we ought to take to heart the sins and miseries of
the times; for the Spirit of God is in every Christian, that will not
suffer him otherwise to be, than to weep and mourn for his own
sins, and for the sins and miseries of others.
Use 1. If this be so, what will become of those that take not to heart
nor mourn for the miseries of the church? that judge not aright of
the poor, but censure the judgment of the afflicted, add affliction to
the afflicted and misery to the miserable? What shall we say to
those that are so far from helping God, that they help the enemies
of God, and are grieved at the heart to hear any cause of comfort on
the church's part? whose hearts it doth joy to hear of any overthrow
on the church's side? Such false hearts there are, and many that are
glad of the sins of others, thinking thereby to hide their own wicked
courses. These men are far from mourning. Let our souls also be far
from entering into their secrets.
Use 2. If this be so, that holy men ought to take to heart and weep
for the judgments of the commonwealth, both felt and feared, and
also for the judgment of God upon the churches abroad, then
Quest. How may we get this weeping and mourning for others? I
answer,
Ans. 1. First, Remove the impediments that hinder; as, first, a hard
and stony heart, which is opposite to tenderness. Josiah had a
melting heart, and therefore it was soon dissolved into tears. Our
hearts are worse than brass or stone, for workmen can work upon
them; but nothing will work upon the hard heart of man. All the
judgments in the world will not work upon it; for all the Israelites
saw the judgments of God in Egypt, and all his mercies and
blessings unto them in the wilderness, yet it would not work upon
them, because they had hard hearts. Therefore let us get a good
spring of tears, that is, a soft and tender heart, and let us beg it of
God, for it is his promise to give us tender hearts; and then there
will be an easy expression of it in the outward man.
2. The second, Let us beware of the love of earthly things, and get a
heart truly loving towards God; for love is compared to fire; and fire,
among many other properties it hath, melts the gold, and makes it
pliable. Heat is the organ of the soul, whereby it doth anything, and
the instrument of nature. So spiritual heat, a warm soul, warmed
with the love of God and of our Christian brethren, will make the
heart pliable, and melt into tears. Therefore get a loving heart, filled
with love to God and Christian brethren, that we may mortify self-
love, which dries up the soul. There can be no melting in such a self-
loved soul. Let us therefore labour for spiritual love, to cross and
subdue carnal self-love. It is this blessed heat that must send forth
this heavenly water of tears; it is the spirit of love that must yield
this distillation from the broken heart; this works all heavenly
affection in us. Therefore Christ compriseth all the commandments
under love. And indeed that is all.
3. Thirdly, If we would have our souls fit to grieve, let us be content
to see as much as we can, with our own eyes, the miseries of others.
The best way to weep is to enter into the house of mourning, and set
before our eyes the afflictions of others. The very sight of misery is
a means to make the soul weep. And let us be willing to hear that
which we cannot see; as Nehemiah was content to hear, nay, to
inquire, concerning the church abroad; and when he heard that it
was not well with them, it made him weep. Every man will cry,
What news? But where is the man, when he hears of the news
beyond the seas, that sends up sighs to God? prayer, that he would
take pity upon his church? It is a good way to use our senses, to
help our souls to grieve.
4. Again, Let us read [of] the estate of God's church, what it hath
been from the beginning of the world; what miseries God's children
have endured in former ages by reason of war and the like, that so
we may work grief upon our own hearts. We have always matter of
grief while we are in this world; if we look abroad, we shall find
matter of mourning. And I surely we should labour to mourn if we
desire to be blessed. For 'blessed are they that mourn: they shall be
comforted,' Mat. 5:4.
5. Fifthly, That we may get this weeping and mourning, let us work
this tender affection upon our own hearts. The soul hath a facutly to
work upon itself. Therefore let us shame ourselves for our own
deadness, dryness, and spiritual barrenness this way, that we can
yield no sighs, no tears for God, for his church and glory. Let us
reason thus with our souls: If I should lose my wife, or child, or my
estate, this naughty heart of mine would weep and be grieved; but
now there is greater cause of mourning for myself and the church of
God, and yet I cannot grieve. Augustine saith he could weep for her
that killed herself out of love to him, but he could not weep for his
own want of love to God.* We have many that will weep for the loss
of friends, wealth, and such like things, but let them lose God's
favour, be in such an estate there is but one step between them and
hell, they are never grieved nor moved at it. Therefore, seeing they
do not weep for themselves, let us weep for them. Can we weep
when we see a man hurt in his body, and ought we not much more
for the danger of his soul? Therefore let us work this sorrow upon
our hearts. Now, we are to receive the sacrament, which is a feast,
and therefore must be eaten cheerfully. The passover was a
banquet, and therefore to be eaten with joy, but withal it was used
to be eaten with sour herbs. So must it be in this blessed banquet
which God hath provided for our souls. There must be sorrow as
well as joy. It is a mixed action, and therefore it must be eaten with
sour herbs, presenting to the eyes of our mind the object of the old
Adam; thinking upon the vileness of our nature, that have such
filthy speeches, disobedient actions, such rebellious thoughts in us.
Great need have I of the mercy and favour of God to look upon such
a defiled soul as I am. And also, having in the eyes of our soul Christ
crucified, look upon Christ, which is crucified in the sacrament,
sacramentally. What was that which broke the body of Christ? Was
it not sin? That sin which I so often cherish, this pride, this envy,
unbelief, and hypocrisy, this covetousness of mind was that which
put Christ into such torment. It was not the nails, but my sins. The
sacrament must work upon our hearts so as to work grief in us. We
must weep as the people did for Josiah, according as God hath
promised we should do. It is said, Zech. 12:10, 'They shall look on
him whom they have pierced by their sins, and weep and mourn for
him as one that mourneth for his only son.' So then, the sacrament
is not only a matter of joy and thanks, but a matter of sorrow.
Therefore, if we would joy in the sacrament, let us first be humbled
for sin, and then joy in it afterwards.
Obj. But here it might be objected, Are we not bid for to rejoice
always? and always to be thankful? 1 Thes. 5:16. Then how can
these agree? for weeping and mourning are contrary to thanksgiving
and joy.
Ans. To this I answer, that the estate of a Christian in this life is a
mixed estate, both inward and outward; his outward estate and the
inward disposition of the soul is mixed. Therefore, having this
mixed estate, our carriage must [be] answerable; as we have always
cause of mourning and rejoicing both from that in us and from
without us, therefore a Christian ought to rejoice always, and in
some measure to mourn always. As, for example,
A Christian hath cause of mourning within him when he looks upon
his sinful nature and the sins which he doth daily commit, yet
notwithstanding, at the same time, there is cause of joy, and great
reason to bless God, when he considers that God hath pardoned his
sins in Christ. Thus the apostle did, Rom. 7:24; when he looked
upon himself and his own vileness, he cries out, 'O wretched man
that I am, who shall deliver me from this body of death!' yet for all
this, at the same time he rejoiceth and blesseth God: 'I thank God
through Jesus Christ my Lord, who hath freed me from the law of
sin and of death.' Thus, you see, we have always in respect of
ourselves both cause of joy and mourning, therefore we must do
both. So have we in like manner continual causes both of joy and
sorrow from without us, if we look to the church of God: of joy, in
regard there is a God in heaven who hath an eye to his church, who
pitieth it and tendereth* it as the apple of his eye; that takes to heart
the afflictions of it; that will be glorious in the midst of the troubles
of his people, by upholding, comforting, and turning all to the best
for them;—of sorrow also, in respect of the miseries under which
the church of God doth groan, of which we are bound to take notice,
and so to weep with them that weep, Isa. 22:12; Amos 6:6; Rom.
12:15. You see the rare mixture of joy and sorrow in a Christian,
whereby he is made capable of this great privilege, as neither to be
swallowed up of grief, because that his sorrow proceeds from a
heart where there is cause of joy, nor to lose himself in excessive
joy, because he always sees in himself cause of sorrow. Now, as it is
to be seen in other mixtures that there is not at all times an equal
quantity or portion of each particular thing to be mingled, but now
more of the one, and at another time more of the other, according as
the cause doth vary, so is it in this mixture of joy and sorrow for
ourselves and for others; sometimes joy must abound with the
causes of it, and sometimes sorrow with its causes doth
superabound. It will be worth our inquiry, therefore, to know when
to joy most, and when to weep most, which we shall know by God's
call in outward occasions, and by the spirit of discretion within us,
which will guide us. For God hath given his children a spirit of
discretion, that will teach them when to joy and when to weep most.
As God calls to mourning now in these times that the church of God
is in misery, as he calls for sighs for the afflictions of Joseph, so the
spirit of discretion within us doth tell us what to do.
Quest. Yet here may be a question, How shall we know when to
cease and leave off mourning? for the soul is a finite thing, and
cannot dwell upon one action always, because it hath many things
to do; and therefore it cannot always mourn nor always rejoice.
Ans. To this I answer. that we have mourned enough, and
discharged our duty sufficiently therein, when we have overcome
our hearts, and brought them to a temper of mourning, and have
complained before God, spread the ill of the times before him, and
entreated pity from him, having poured out ourselves in prayer,
though short, yet effectual. When we have this done, then we have
discharged our duty in mourning, and may turn to other occasions
as God doth require of us; for when we have mourned and wept,
then we must look upon causes of rejoicing and thanksgiving. We
must always remember so to mourn and weep that yet
notwithstanding, looking upon God's blessing upon us both in
kingdom, state, and our own particular persons, we may be excited
to thankfulness; for we must not always be sullen, looking upon the
evil, but casting our eyes upon the good things we do enjoy, we
must provoke ourselves to be thankful. Even as men that have their
eyes dazzled will look upon some green colour to recover their sight
again, so when we have wrought upon our souls and brought them
to mourn, then to help and raise them up, we ought to look upon
causes of joy and thankfulness. We have cause of thankfulness
when we consider that many churches in France and other places
are invaded by enemies, oppressed with cruelty, and deprived of
liberty, while yet we enjoy the liberty and free passage of the gospel,
being freed from the destruction of war and pestilence, which
devoureth so many that it makes the land to mourn. He continueth
to us liberty to hear the word, and gives us many blessings which
others have not. Nay, we have cause to bless God for freeing us from
that terriblest judgment of all judgments,—which makes both
church and commonwealth to mourn,—because he doth not suffer
us to fall into the hands of man, but takes us into his own hand to
correct. It is God's infinite mercy that he doth not humble us by our
enemies, but takes us into his own hand. Therefore let us not
provoke him, lest he give us up to the hands of our merciless
enemies, which is a terrible judgment. We had better an hundred
times meet him by repentance, and cast ourselves into his hands,
for then we have only to deal with a merciful God; but when we are
to deal with merciless men that scorn the gospel, then we have both
God and them to deal with, which doubles our affection.
Therefore let us mourn, seeing we have cause, for ourselves and the
estates of others; but yet let us be thankful, for if we would be more
thankful for God's benefits, we should have them longer continued.
For, as prayer begs blessings, so thanksgiving continues them. As
the best way to obtain good things is prayer and mourning, so the
best way to preserve them is thanksgiving and rejoicing. So, then,
we have plainly seen that Christians should not always be dumpish
and look sourly, but they must as well rejoice and be thankful, as
mourn and weep.
Quest. 1. But here, ere I proceed, I must answer some cases of
conscience. As, first, What shall we say to those souls that cannot
weep for the sins and miseries of the church, and therefore
complain for the want of it?
Secondly, What shall we say to that soul that can weep, but more for
outward than for spiritual things?
Sol. 1. To the first I answer briefly, that we must not speak friar-like
of tears, and never know from whence they come. But when we
speak of weeping, we must always understand that tears are no
further good than when they spring from sorrow and love within,
than when they proceed from inward hatred to sin, and from fear
and love to the church of God. If this be in a man, the matter is not
much for tears. There may be weeping without true sorrow, as there
was in Esau for the blessing, Gen. 27:38; and so the Jews, they
could weep and howl upon their beds when there was a famine, yet
there was no sound sorrow in them.
And, on the contrary, there may be true sorrow without weeping,
yea, and such may it be that there can be no weeping, because their
sorrow may be so great that it is rather an astonishment than a
weeping. In a fresh wound in the body, at the first there is not such
pain felt nor the blood seen, because the part is astonied only; so
the soul for a time may be in such an astonishment and grief that
there may be no expression of tears. Again, the soul doth follow the
temperature of the body. Some are of a more easy constitution to
shed tears than others, so that there may be more grief where there
are fewest tears.
But to come to the question more directly, we ought to think our
estates not so good as they should be, if we cannot at one time or
other weep for the sins and miseries of the church. If we can shed
tears for outward things at one time or other, and cannot weep for
spiritual, it is a bad sign; for certainly, one time or other ordinarily
God's children express their sorrow for their sins, and the estate of
the church, by tears. They either have tears for spiritual respects, or
else they mourn that they cannot mourn, grieve that they cannot
grieve, and desire that they might mourn and that they could weep.
They wish with Jeremiah that their head were a fountain of tears,
they wish they might have their bodies to answer the intent of their
soul, that so they might largely express outwardly their inward grief.
As Jeremiah feared he should not have tears enough, therefore
wished that his head were a fountain of tears, so they desire, Oh
that I could mourn, and that I could weep!
Sol. 2. But what shall we say to those that can weep for other
things? Shall they be condemned for hypocrites?
1. I answer, No; for a torrent may run faster for the present than a
continual current; so on the sudden there may be tears and grief for
outward things, but yet grief for sin is more because of the
continuance thereof. For sin is a continual cause of sorrow.
Whereas sorrow for outward things is but on a sudden, as it was in
David when he cried, 'Oh my son Absalom, my son Absalom!' 2 Sam.
18:33. What ado is here on the sudden for Absalom! but yet he wept
for his sins more, because that was a continual grief. So in a
Christian, there may be some sudden passion, when he may seem to
weep and grieve most for outward things, but yet his grief for sin
and the misery of the church is more, because it is a continual grief.
2. Again, Spiritual grief comes from spiritual causes. Tears for sin,
and for the church of God, do issue merely from spiritual grounds;
whereas in natural grief for outward things, we have both the Spirit
and nature that make us grieve. Now when both these meet
together, they carry the soul strongly, as in a stream. So that there
must needs be more tears and grief for outward things. As when the
windows of heaven were opened from above, and the foundations
below were broken up, there must needs follow a great flood, Gen.
7:11; so when we have the Spirit from above, and our nature below,
there must of necessity be a great grief for outward things. But yet
in these cases, little of spiritual sorrow is better than a great deal of
natural, for spiritual grief fats the soul. As the river Nile runs
through Egypt, and fats the land, so this heavenly water of tears and
grief fattens the soul, and makes it fit for all holy services. They are
both good, but one less than the other. Natural grief is allowable,
which if a man have not, he is in a reprobate sense; for the apostle
reckons this up as a great sin, that in the latter days men should be
without natural affection. So then we see, that for this reason also
there may be a great store of grief and tears for outward things.
3. Again, Let them that grieve that they cannot more grieve, know
and comfort themselves, that they have the Spirit of God within
them, which is an everlasting spring that will in time overcome all
carnal and worldly respects whatsoever, and make the heart in a fit
temper of weeping and grieving for spiritual respects.
Use. Well, if this be thus, what shall we think of the jovial people of
the world, who are so far from this sorrow, that—when a man shall
come and ask them when they wept for their sins, when they did
ever mourn and send up sighs to God for their swearing, lying,
profanation of God's Sabbath, for the wrong they have done to
others, or for any of their sins—the time was never yet wherein they
ever shed a tear for sin, or had a sigh, groan, or mourning for sin? In
what estate are we born in? All children of wrath, and heirs of
damnation. But when got you out of this state? You have over lived
in jollity. Therefore as yet you are as you were born, a child of
wrath. Do ye think to reap, and never sow? to reap in joy, and never
sow in tears? God puts all his children's tears in a bottle; but thou
sparest God a labour, because thou never weepest. There are a
company that engross all jollity and mirth, as if they had no cause to
weep, whose language yet when any man hears, and observes their
courses and living in gross sins, he may quickly judge that they of
all others have most cause to weep, though there be none more free
from mourning, and though they seem to be the only men of the
world. But I say to such, go weep, howl, and lament for your sins;
for your peace is not yet made with God. Therefore never rest till
thou hast got an assurance from heaven that thy sins are forgiven
thee. Many people are angry because ministers tell them of this, but
surely we must be damned if we do not.
Therefore, as any would hope for comfort, and have God to wipe
away their tears from them in another world, let them work upon
their hearts here, to shed tears for their own sins first, and then for
the sins of the time; for their own first, I say, for a man must first be
good in himself before he can be good to others; and then let their
grief extend to their brethren even beyond the seas, to the forlorn
estate of the church there.
Now the last thing that is noted in Josiah's weeping, is the sincerity
of it. 'Thou hast wept before me;' that is, sincerely, before God. He
sinned before him, and is humbled before him. There is nothing hid
from his sight, not only open sins, but he knows the very thoughts
of our hearts: therefore let us weep before him without hypocrisy.
No matter whether the world see it or no; but let us weep before
God, as the prophet saith, Jer. 13:17, 'My soul shall weep in secret
for you, and mine eyes shall weep, and drop down tears in the night
season.' Let us weep in secret before God; for this is without
hypocrisy. Now follows the issue of his weeping and humbling of
himself.
'I have even heard thee also,' saith the Lord.
In which words is set down God's gracious acceptation of Josiah's
humiliation; which was not without his special observation. 'For I
have even heard thee,' saith the Lord: so that it seems Josiah did
utter some words of grief, because God saith, 'I have heard it. And
we may the rather think so, because usually God's children do in
their prayers add words unto their tears, as David and good
Hezekiah did. Howsoever then his prayer was not a distinct prayer
of a composed tenor of speech; yet it was a prayer, because that with
these tears he did send up sighs, and groans, and uttered broken
words from a broken heart. There was such a language in his heart
that God did understand, for God understands the language of his
own Spirit in the hearts of his children. The Spirit knows what we
mean, as Rom. 8:26, 27. God hath an ear to hear our desires, our
sighs and groans; for tears have the weight of a voice, they speak for
us. Where there is true grief, many times there cannot come a
composed tenor of speech; for a broken heart expresseth itself more
in sighs, groans, and tears, than in words. Though we do not utter
distinct words in a form of prayer, yet he hears our sighs and
groans: his ears are open to the cries of his children. So we learn
from hence, for our comfort against all Satan's temptations,
Doct. 6. That God takes a particular notice, and understands the
prayers we make unto him: he hears the groans of his children. So
David saith, 'My groaning is not hid from thee,' Ps. 38:9. So the
prophet says, Ps. 145:18, 19, 'He will fulfil the desire of them that
hear* him; he will also hear their cry, and will save them;' yea, he
knows our thoughts long before. This must needs be so.
Reason 1. First, Because he is gracious and merciful; he is a God
hearing prayers.
2. Because of the relations which in his love he hath taken upon
himself, to be a Father. So that when a man shall, by the Spirit of
adoption, call God Father, there is such a deal of eloquence and
rhetoric in this very word, it works so upon the bowels of God, that
he cannot choose but hear. Even as a child, when he speaks to his
father, and calls him by this name, this word father doth so work
upon him that he cannot but hear. So it is with God; when he hears
us call him Father, he cannot but hear us.
3. Because of his nature and love, which is above the love of an
earthly father. Though a mother should forget, and not hear her
child, yet the Lord will hear us.
And likewise this is his promise: 'Call upon me in the day of trouble,
and I will hear thee, and thou shalt glorify me,' Ps. 50:15.
4. Again, God cannot basely esteem of our prayers, because they are
the motions of his own Spirit. Oh, but they are broken prayers. It is
true; but the Spirit understands them and makes intercession for
us, with sighs and groans that cannot be expressed; and none can
understand them but the Spirit, Rom. 8:26, 27.
5. Again, God cannot but hear our prayers, because they are offered
up in the name of a mediator. They are perfumed with the incense
and sacrifice of his Son. Therefore he cannot but hear them.
6. Again, God must needs hear our prayers, because they are made
according to his will. When we pray for ourselves, and for the
church of God, it is according to God's will. So then, if we consider
these respects, God cannot but hear our prayers.
Obj. But some will object, God doth not hear me: I have prayed a
long while, and yet he hath not given me an answer.
Ans. 1. I answer, God doth always hear, though he seemeth not to
hear sometimes, to increase our importunity. Christ heard the
woman of Canaan at first; but yet, to increase her importunity, he
gave her the repulse and denial, and with the same, inward strength
to wrestle with him.
Ans. 2. Again, God seems not to hear, because he delights in the
music of his children's prayers. Oh how he loves to hear the voice of
his children! As a father to hear the language of his child, though it
be none of the best; so it is sweet music in God's ears to hear the
prayers of his children. He will have prayers to be cries. Therefore
he defers to hear; but in deferring he doth not defer, for he
increaseth our strength, as in Jacob's wrestling, that we might cry
after him, wrestle with him, and offer violence unto him again.
Ans. 3. And sometimes, indeed, he will not hear us, because, it may
be, there is some secret Achan in the camp, or some Jonah in the
ship; some sin, I mean, in the heart unrepented of; for in this case
we may come before God again and again, and he not hear us. This
is the reason why God hears not many Christians, because they
have not made a thorough inquisition into their own estates, found
out their sins, and humbled themselves for it. Thus we see for what
reasons God defers to hear our prayers.
Use 1. If this be so, that God doth hear us, let us make this use, to be
plentiful in prayers, and lay up a great store of them in the bosom of
God, for this is that will do us the most good. He hears every one in
due time. We do never lose a sigh, a tear, or anything that is good,
which proceeds from his own Spirit, but he will answer abundantly
in his own time. For he that gives a desire, and prepares our heart to
pray, and gives us a Mediator by whom to offer them up, will
doubtless accept of them in his own Son, and will answer them. The
time will come when he will accept of nothing else, and we shall
have no other thing to offer up. What a comfort will it then be, that
we have in former times, and can now call upon God! The day is
coming when goods will do us no good, but prayers will. What a
comfort then is it to a Christian, that he hath a God to go to, that
hears his prayers! Let all the world join together against a Christian,
take away all things else and cast him into a dungeon, yet they
cannot take away his God from him. What a happiness is it to pray!
We can never be miserable so long as we have the Spirit of prayer.
Though we were in a dungeon with Jeremiah, or in the whale's belly
with Jonah, yea, though in hell, yet there we might have cause of
comfort.
Let us therefore be ashamed of our barrenness in this duty, and
observe whether God hear our prayers, or else how can we be
thankful? There be many that pray, because their consciences do
force them to some devotion, and therefore they slubber over a few
prayers that their consciences may not smite them, but they never
observe the issue of their prayers, whether God hears them or not;
whereas God is a God hearing prayers, and the child of God doth
esteem of nothing but that which he hath from God, as a fruit of
prayer, and therefore accordingly he doth return thanks. God will
have his children beg all of him. As some fathers will give nothing to
their children, but they will have them first ask it of them, so God
will give us nothing but what we pray for. And though he doth
exceed to give us more than we ask, yet he looks that we should
return thanks in some measure proportionable to the benefit
received. Therefore let us observe how God hears our prayers, that
so we may be suitably thankful. This will strengthen our faith in evil
times when we can thus plead with God. Hear, Lord! Heretofore I
came before thee, though weakly, yet with a broken heart, and thou
didst hear me then. Thou art still a God hearing prayer, therefore,
Lord, look upon my estate now and help me. Seeing, then, God
hears our prayers, let us think of this glorious privilege, that we
have liberty to go to the throne of grace in all our wants. The whole
world is not worth this one privilege. We cannot command the
prince's ear at all times; but we have a God always to go to, that will
hear us. What a wretched folly is it therefore of those that, by their
sins, bring themselves into such a condition that they cannot have
God to hear them.
Quest. But how shall we make such prayers as God will hear?
Ans. I answer first of all, Would we be in such an estate that we may
enjoy this blessed privilege, to have God's ear ready to hear?
1. First, Then hear him. If we will have God to hear us, then let us
hear God, as Josiah did. When he heard the word read, his heart
melted. For 'he that turneth away his ears from hearing the law,
even his prayers shall be abominable,' saith God, Prov. 28:9.
And is it not good reason, think we, for God not to hear us, when we
will not hear him? Prov. 1:24, 25, 'Because I have called, and you
have refused; when you are in misery, and shall out of self-love cry
to me to be delivered, then I will refuse to hear you,' saith the Lord.
Therefore let all profane persons, that will not hear God, know a
time will come, that though they cry and roar, yet he will not hear
them.
2. Secondly, If we will have God hear our prayers, they must proceed
from a broken heart. Prayers be the sacrifice of a broken spirit.
Josiah had a tender and a broken heart, and therefore God could not
despise his prayers. So David pleads with God: Ps. 51:17, 'The
sacrifice of God is a broken and a contrite spirit.' So holy Bernard
saith, 'I have led a life unbefitting me; but yet my comfort is, that a
broken heart and a contrite spirit, Lord, thou wilt not despise.'* God
will hear the prayers and tears of relenting hearts.
3. Thirdly, To strengthen our prayers we must add to them the
wings of love, faith, hope, and earnestness, as Josiah did here. Out
of love to his country his prayers were joined with weeping, and he
wrestled with tears. Oh! the prayers that have tears with them
cannot go without a blessing.
4. Lastly, If we would have God to hear us, let us have such a
resolution and purpose of reformation as Josiah had; for his prayers
were joined with a purpose of reformation, which he afterwards
performed in so strict a manner, that there was never such a
reformation among all the kings of Judah as he made. To this
purpose David saith, 'If I regard wickedness in my heart, God will
not hear my prayer,' Ps. 66:18. If we have but a resolution to live in
any sinful course, let us make as many prayers as we will, God will
not respect them. God regarded good Josiah, because he had no
purpose to live in any sin against him.
If we come with a traitorous mind unto God, with our sins in our
arms, we must look for no acceptation from him. When a man
comes to a king to put up a petition unto him, and comes with a
dagger in his hand to stab him, will the king accept of this man's
petition? So, do we think that God will hear our prayers when we
bring a dagger in our hand, to stab him with our sins? If we will not
leave swearing, lying, pride, covetousness, and the like, if we have
not covenanted with our own hearts, but still go on in sin, we shall
never go away with a blessing. Josiah reformed himself; therefore
God saith, 'I have also heard thee.' Thus if our prayers issue from a
heart rightly affected, as good Josiah's was, then we shall speed as
he did; for God did not only hear his prayer, but see how he rewards
him with an excellent blessing; to be taken home to heaven from
the troubles of this life: which we shall in the next place speak of.
THE SAINT'S REFRESHING
SERMON IV
Behold, I will gather thee to thy fathers, and thou shalt be gathered
to thy grave in peace, neither shall thine eyes see all the evil that I
will bring upon this place, and upon the inhabitants of the same. So
they brought the king word again.—2 CHRON. 34:28.
IT is for the most part the privilege of a Christian, that his last days
are his best; and 'though weeping be in the evening, yet joy comes in
the morning,' Ps. 30:5; though he do begin in darkness, yet he ends
in light. Whereas, on the contrary, the wicked begin in jollity and
light, but end in darkness; yea, such a darkness as is 'utter
darkness,' Mat. 8:12—by Peter called the 'blackness of darkness,' 2
Pet. 2:17—the preparations whereunto are, God's outward
judgments in this life inflicted upon the impenitent and rebellious,
wherein God many times puts a sensible, visible difference betwixt
the godly and the wicked; as betwixt Lot and the Sodom-mites,
Noah and the adulterous world, Moses and the Israelites with him,
from Korah, Dathan, and his company, the Egyptians and the
Israelites at the Red Sea; and in this text, betwixt this good king and
his people. He must not see all the evil that God was to bring upon
his wicked and rebellious subjects. Oh the happiness of holiness,
which is sure to speed well in all storms whatsoever; because on all
the glory there is a defence, as Isaiah speaks, Isa. 4:5. Light is sown
for the righteous, Ps. 97:11; and whatsoever his troubles be, yet his
last end shall be blessed. 'Let me die,' saith Balaam, 'the death of the
righteous, and let my last end be like his,' Num. 23:10. Such honour
have all his saints, such honour had this good king Josiah; being
removed from hence that he might not see the evil to come. Though
he were taken from earth, yet it was for his good, that he might be
gathered into heaven, and make a royal exchange.
The words contain a promise of a reward, and great favour unto
good king Josiah, that he should die, and be gathered unto his
fathers; and that which is more, the manner considered, that he
should 'die in peace;' the ground whereof is shewed unto him:
'Because thine eyes shall not see all the evil that I will bring upon
this place, and upon the inhabitants of the same.' God's promises
are of three sorts. First, Such as he made upon condition of legal
obedience: 'Do this and thou shalt live.' Secondly, When we are
humbled upon sight of our sins, then he propounds another way,
and promises that if we believe in Jesus Christ our surety, who hath
made satisfaction for us, then we shall live. This is the grand
promise of all, the promise of life everlasting, and pardon of sin.
Thirdly, There are promises of encouragement unto us, when we are
in the state of grace. As a father, who means to make his son an
heir, doth give him many promises of encouragement, so God deals
with his children, when they are in the covenant of grace.
There are, I say, promises of particular rewards to encourage them,
as they are sure of the main and great reward, namely, everlasting
life. Therefore Josiah being an heir of heaven, God did propound a
promise of encouragement unto him, by way of favour, to shew that
his good works were not unregarded. In general here,
Doct. 1. First, We may observe God's gracious dealing with his
children, that he takes notice of every good thing they do, and doth
reward them for it, yea, in this life. There is not a sigh but God hears
it, not a tear but he hath a bottle for it. Most men spare God a
labour in this kind. He promiseth 'to wipe away all tears from our
eyes,' Rev. 21:4, but they will shed none. Yet the least tear shed, and
word spoken in a good cause, goes not without a reward from God;
not so much as a cup of cold water, but he rewards. Which must
needs be so:
Because God looks upon the good things we do, being his own
works in us, as upon lovely objects, with a love unto them; for
though Josiah had said nothing, yet his deep humiliation itself, was
as it were a prayer, that cried strongly in the ears of God, that he
could not but reward it. So that partly because God looks upon us as
lovely objects, he loving the work of his own Spirit, and partly
because they cry unto God, as it were, and pluck down a blessing
from heaven, they cannot go unrewarded.
Use. This is matter of comfort, that God will not only reward us with
heaven, but will also recompense every good thing we do, even in
this world; yea, such is his bounty, he rewards hypocrites. Because
he will not be beholding to them for any good thing they do, nor
have them die unrewarded, he recompenseth them with some
outward favours, which is all they desire. Ahab did but act
counterfeit humiliation, and he was rewarded for it, 1 Kings 21:27–
29. So the Scribes and Pharisees did many good things, and had that
they looked for. They looked not for heaven, but for the praise of
men. This they had, as Christ tells them, 'Verily, I say unto you, you
have your reward,' Mat. 6:5. God will be beholding to none; but
whosoever do anything that is good, they shall have some reward,
whether they be good or bad. If the conscience of a man did judge
well, he might come to God with boldness, not to brag of good
works, but out of an humble heart saying, 'Remember me, O Lord,
as I have dealt with thee.' So good Hezekiah did: 'Remember, Lord,
how I have walked before thee in truth,' Isa. 38:3. When we labour
in all our actions to please God, we may with boldness approach to
the throne of grace, and say with Peter, Remember, Lord, 'Thou
knowest that I love thee,' John 21:15. If there were no other reward
but this, that we have a privilege to go to God with boldness, our
conscience not accusing us, it were enough. What a shame is it,
then, that we should be so barren in good works, seeing our labour
shall not be unrewarded of the Lord! Oh then let us take counsel of
the apostle: 'Finally, my brethren, be ye stedfast and unmoveable,
abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that your labour is not
in vain in the Lord,' 1 Cor. 15:58. He hath a reward for every cup of
cold water, for every tear. Every good deed we do hath the force of a
prayer to beg a blessing; yea, our very tears speak loud to God,
although we say nothing. But to come to particulars.
'Behold, I will gather thee to thy fathers,' &c.
Here we see this word behold, a word serving to stir up attention,
set before the promise, which was formerly set before a threatening,
'Behold, I will bring evil upon this place,' &c. Behold is as necessary
before promises as threatenings. For the soul is ready to behold that
which is evil, and by nature is prone to dejection, and to cast down
itself. Therefore there need be a 'behold' put before the promise, to
raise up the dejected soul of Josiah or others, and all little enough.
Christians should have two eyes, one to look upon the ill, the other
upon the good, and the grace of God that is in them, that so we may
be thankful. But they for the most part look only upon the ill that is
in them, and so God wants his glory and we our comfort.
'Behold, I will gather thee to thy fathers, and thou shalt be gathered
to thy grave in peace.'
Doct. 2. Mark here the language of Canaan, how the Spirit of God in
common matters doth raise up the soul to think highly of them
Therefore it is that the Holy Ghost sweetens death with a phrase of
'gathering.' Instead of saying, Thou shalt die, he saith, 'Thou shalt be
gathered.' How many phrases have we in Scripture that have
comfort wrapped in them, as there is in this phrase, 'Thou shalt be
gathered to thy grave in peace.' I will not speak how many ways
peace is taken in Scripture. 'Thou shalt die in peace;' that is, thou
shalt die quietly, honourably, and peaceably. And thou shalt not see
the misery that I will bring upon the state and kingdom. Thou shalt
be gathered to thy fathers, which is meant to Abraham, Isaac, and
Jacob, and to all the faithful patriarchs.
Doct. 3. Only observe, it is a very sweet word, and imports unto us,
that death is nothing but a gathering, and presupposeth that God's
children are all scattered in this world amongst wicked men, in a
forlorn place, where they are used untowardly, as pilgrims use to be
in a strange land. Therefore we had need be gathered, and it is a
comfort to be gathered. But from whence shall he be gathered? He
shall be gathered from a wicked, confused world; and to whom shall
he go? To his Father. His soul shall go to their souls, his body shall
be laid in the grave with theirs. As if he had said, Thou shalt leave
some company, but go to better; thou shalt leave a kingly estate, but
thou shalt go to a better kingdom.
Doct. 4. The changes of God's children are for the better. Death to
them is but a gathering. This gathering doth shew the preciousness
of the thing gathered; for God doth not use to gather things of no
value. Josiah was a pearl worth the gathering. He was one of high
esteem, very precious. So every Christian is dearly bought, with the
blood of Christ. Therefore God will not suffer him to perish, but will
gather him before the evil days come. As men use to gather jewels
before fire comes into their houses; or as husbandmen will be sure
to gather their corn, before they will let the beasts come into the
field; so saith God to him, I will be sure to gather thee before I bring
destruction upon the land. We are all by nature lost in Adam, and
scattered from God, therefore we must be gathered again in Christ.
For all gathering that is good is in him; for he is the head of all
union that is good. And this is to be wrought by the ordinances of
God, by the means of the ministry, which is appointed unto that
end, to gather us, as Mat. 23:37, Christ speaks to Jerusalem, 'How
often would I have gathered you together, as a hen gathereth her
chickens under her wings, but you would not.' Christ would have
gathered them unto himself, by his word, but they refused.
All the gathering of a Christian in this life is a gathering to Christ by
faith, and to the communion of saints by love, 1 Thes. 4:17; and the
more he doth grow in grace, the more near communion he hath
with Christ. Then after this gathering by grace, there comes by death
a gathering to Christ in glory. For the soul goes for ever and ever to
be with the Lord. After this comes a higher degree of gathering at
the day of judgment, when there shall be a great meeting of all
saints, and the soul and body shall be reunited together, to remain
for ever with the Lord. Let us then think of this, that whatsoever
befalls us in the world, we shall be sure to be gathered, for death is
but a gathering. For from whence goes Josiah? From a sinful world,
a sinful estate, a wretched people, unto his fathers, who are all good,
nay, to God his Father. We are all here as Daniel in the lion's den, as
sheep among wolves; but at death we shall be gathered to our
fathers. It is a gathering to a better place, to heaven; and to better
persons, to fathers, where we shall be for ever praising the Lord,
never offending him, loving and pleasing one another. Here
Christians displease one another, and cannot be gathered together
in love and affection, but there they shall be gathered in unity of
love for ever.
Use. This serves, first of all, to comfort us in departure of friends, to
render their souls up with comfort into the hands of God. We know
they are not lost, but sent before us. We shall be gathered to them,
they cannot come to us. Therefore why should we grieve? They are
gathered in quietness and rest to their fathers. This should also
make us render our souls to God, as into the hands of a faithful
Creator and Redeemer. From whence go we? From a sinful world
and place of tears, to a place of happiness above expression. Why
should we be afraid of death? It is but a gathering to our fathers.
What a comfort is it to us in this world, that we shall go to a place
where all is good, where we shall be perfectly renewed, made in the
image of God, and shall have nothing defaced? Let this raise up our
dead and drowsy souls. Thus we shall be one day gathered. The
wicked shall be gathered together, but a woeful gathering is it. They
shall be gathered like a bundle of tares, to be thrown into hell, there
for ever to burn. They are dross and chaff, never gathered to Christ
by faith, nor to the body of the church by love; and therefore they
are as dross and chaff, which the wind scatters here, and shall for
ever be scattered hereafter, Ps. 1:4. They are, as Cain, vagabonds in
regard of the life of grace here; and therefore shall be for ever
scattered from the life of glory hereafter. They shall be gathered to
those whom they delighted in, and kept company with, whilst they
were in this world. They loved to keep company with the wicked
here, therefore they shall be gathered to them in hell hereafter. This
is sure, thou shalt live in heaven or hell afterwards, with those
whom thou livedst with here. Dost thou live only delighted in evil
company now? It is pity thou shouldst be severed from them
hereafter. If thou be gathered to them in love and affection here,
thou shalt be gathered to them in hell and destruction hereafter. It
is a comfortable evidence to those that delight in good company,
that they shall be with them in heaven for ever. 'Hereby we know
that we are translated from death to life, because we love the
brethren,' 1 John 3:14. And on the contrary, those that are brethren
in evil here, may read in their own wicked courses and conversation
what will become of them hereafter. They are all tares, and shall be
gathered together in a bundle, and cast into hell fire for ever.
'And thou shalt be gathered to thy grave in peace.'
Here is a reward, not only to die, but to die in peace. Josiah goes the
way of all flesh; he must die though he be a king. This statute binds
all. All are liable to death. 'And thou shalt be gathered, or put in thy
grave in peace.' This doth declare that he should be buried; the
ground whereof is out of Gen. 3:19, 'Dust thou art, and to dust thou
shalt return.' From earth we came, and to earth we shall return. The
earth we carry and the earth we tread on shall both meet together.
In that God doth here promise it to Josiah as a blessing, we may
hence learn,
Doct. 5. That burial is a comely and honourable thing, and that we
ought to have respect unto it, partly because the body of a dead
Christian is a precious thing. They are temples of the Holy Ghost,
members of Christ, and therefore ought to have the honour of
burial. Partly because it shews our love and affection to the party
buried, for it is the last kindness we can do unto them. Again, we
ought to have respect to burial, to shew our hope of the
resurrection, that though the body be cast into the earth, yet it shall
rise; though it be sown in dishonour, yet it shall rise in honour. So
we see that for these reasons burial is honourable. Therefore it is
said of the faithful in Scripture, that they were buried, to shew how
honourable a thing it is; and indeed it is an honour, specially for
fathers, to be buried by their friends and children, and carried by
them into their graves. For to be buried like a beast is a judgment to
wicked men.
Quest. But what then shall we say to all those that are not thus
buried, whose bodies are given to be torn by wild beasts, or burnt to
ashes, or flung into rivers, as antichrist useth to deal with many
saints?
Ans. I answer, that in this case faith must raise itself above
difficulty; for though it be a favour and blessing of God, to have
Christian burial after we are dead, yet Christians must be content to
go without this blessing sometimes, when God calls them to the
contrary, as when we cannot have it upon good terms, with peace of
conscience, or with God's love. In this case a burial in regard of
God's favour is not worth the naming. Therefore let all Christians be
content to put their bodies, life and all, to hazard; not only to be
willing to want burial when we are dead, but to sacrifice our lives
and whatsoever else for God, as many saints have been martyred,
and their bodies burnt to ashes. Yet God will gather together the
ashes of the dead bodies of his children; for 'right precious in the
sight of the Lord is the death of his saints,' Ps. 116:15. And is it not
better to want this with God's favour, than to have the most
honourable burial in the world on evil terms? For what saith the
Spirit of God? 'Happy and blessed are they which die in the Lord,'
Rev. 14:13; not happy are they that die in pomp, and are buried in
state, but happy are they that die in the Lord. Therefore when we
may not have it, although it be a comely thing, yet if we have God
and Christ, we have all that is good. Therefore it is no matter what
becomes of our bodies after we are dead; for though we be flung
into the sea, burnt to ashes, yet both sea and earth must give up all
the dead, as it is Rev. 20:13. Therefore as for our bodies, let us be
willing that God may have them, who gave them; and if he will have
us to sacrifice our lives for him, let us do it willingly.
'And thou shalt be gathered to thy grave in peace.'
Obj. How is this? for we read, in the succeeding chapter of Josiah,
that he died a violent death; he was slain by the hands of his
enemies. Is this to die in peace?
Sol. I answer, the next words do expound it. He died in peace,
'because his eyes should not see the evil that God would bring upon
the land afterwards;' as if he had said, Thou shalt not see the ruin of
the church and commonwealth. So, though Josiah were slain by
idolaters, by Pharaoh and his chariots, yet he died in peace
comparatively with a worse state of life. For though he died a bloody
death by the hands of his enemies, yet he died in peace, because he
was prevented by death from seeing that which was worse than
death. For God may reserve a man in this life to worse miseries than
death itself.
From hence we learn this instruction,
Doct. 6. That death may be less miserable than the ill which a man
may live to see in this life; or, that the miseries of this life may be
such as that death may be much better than life, and far rather to be
chosen. We may fall into such miseries whilst we do live, that we
may desire death, they being greater than it. The reason hereof is,
because that a sudden death, in some respects, is better than a
lingering one. One death is better than many deaths, for how many
deaths did Josiah escape by this one death! It would have been a
death to him if he had lived to see the ruin of the commonwealth,
the church of God, and his own sons carried into captivity, to have
seen them slain, their eyes plucked out, the temple of God plucked
down, and idolatry set up.
We ought then to be careful how to avoid a cursed and miserable
estate after death. All the care of wicked men is to avoid death. But
they may fall into such an estate in this life that they may wish
death, as an heathen emperor once did, who complaining said, 'I
have none will do me so much favour as to kill me.'* All the desire
of atheists is, that they may live. Thou base atheist, thou mayest fall
into such an estate as is worse than death, and if that be so terrible,
what will that† estate be after death? An atheist in this life desires
life, Oh that I might not die! But in hell thou wilt desire, Oh that I
might die! The time will come that thou shalt desire that which
thou canst not abide to hear of now. What desperate folly is it
therefore to redeem life with base conditions; not to give it for the
gospel when we are called to it. In this case, that base life which we
so stand upon, will cost us the loss of our soul for ever in hell, when
we shall desire to die.
'Behold, I will gather thee to thy fathers, and thou shalt be put in
thy grave in peace.' The Lord saith, he 'will gather.' So we see,
Doct. 7. Our times are in God's hand; as David saith, 'My time is in
thy hand,' Ps. 31:15. Our times of coming into the world, continuing
in it, and going out of it, are in God's hand. Therefore he saith, 'Thou
shalt be put in thy grave in peace.' God hath power of death. Our
going and coming is from God; he is the Lord of life and death.
Use. This is a comfort unto us while we live in this world, that
whilst we live we are not in our own hands, we shall not die in our
own time; neither is it in our enemies' hands, but in God's hand. He
hath appointed a certain time of our being here in this world. This
should tie us to obedience, and to die in hope and faith; because
when we die we are but gathered to our fathers, to better company
and place than we leave behind us.
Again we see here that men may outlive their own happiness, that at
last life may be a judgment unto them, because they may see that
which is worse than death. How many parents live to see the ruin of
their own families! the undoing of their children by their own
miscarriage! We see God takes away Josiah, because he will not
have him live, as it were, beyond his happiness. We see how
tenderly affected God is for the good of his children. He pities them
when they are in misery, knows what they are able to bear, and will
lay no more upon them than he gives them strength to endure. God
knew that Josiah was tender-hearted, and melted at the very
threatenings, which if he could not endure to hear against his
country, could he ever have endured to have seen the miseries upon
his people and country? Surely no. Therefore God will rather gather
him to his fathers.
Now this is a wonderful comfort, that many times God will not let
us see too great matter of grief. Let us then imitate God, and deal so
one with another as God deals with us—the husband with the wife,
and the wife with the husband, and the like. Let us not acquaint
them with such things as may make them more grieve than is
fitting, or they are able to bear. God would not have Josiah to see
the misery he brought upon his country, because he knew that he
was tenderly disposed, that a little grief would soon overcome him.
So let us beware of causing any to grieve, or to let them know things
which they are not able to bear.
Again, Seeing this is a grief to a kind and loving father, yea, worse
than death, to see the ruin of his child, this should teach all those
that are young, to take care that they give no occasion of offence to
those that are over them, for to grieve; which will be worse than
death unto them. It would have been worse than a death unto
Josiah to have seen the ruin of his children. So for those children
which have been cherished by their parents in their nonage, it will
be worse than death to them in their age to see their children lewd
and come to ruin, whereby they bring so much sooner the grey head
of their father to the grave in sorrow. These offend against the sixth
commandment, which saith, 'Thou shalt not kill.' Let us then rather
revive and comfort the heart of those that have been good unto us,
and not kill them, or do that which is worse than death unto them.
'Neither shall thy eyes see the misery I will bring upon this people.'
Doct. 8. Here we learn again that it is the sight of misery which
woks the deepest impression. It is not the hearing of a thing, but the
sight of it, which affecteth most deeply; as in the sacrament, the
seeing of the bread broken, and the wine poured out, works a deep
impression; and because God knew Josiah's heart would break at
the sight of the misery, therefore he tells him, 'Thine eyes shall not
see the evil that I will bring upon this place.' The sight is a most
working sense, to make the deepest impression upon the soul. What
shall be our great joy and happiness in heaven, but that we shall see
God for evermore? Sight is a blessing upon earth, both the eyes of
the body wherewith we see, and the eyes of the soul—that is, faith—
which makes us see afar off, till in heaven we shall see him face to
face. So that sight makes us both happy and miserable.
Use 1. How wretched, then, is the estate of them that shall see
themselves, with their own wicked eyes, sent to hell, with the
creature they delighted in. That which the eyes see, the heart feels.
There are many atheists, whose whole care is to preserve life. They
would live, although they live the life of a dog. But the time will
come, that thou wilt more earnestly desire death than life. Thy eyes
shall see, and thy body feel, and thy conscience too, that which is
worse than a thousand deaths. Thou shalt then die a living death.
The worm of thy conscience shall gnaw thee for ever, and shalt see
and feel the tormenting fire which shall never be quenched. That
which the wicked nourish now to follow their humour, never caring
to please God, the day will be when they shall desire to avoid it; and
that which they labour to avoid most now, the time will come when
they shall most desire it. Death is the king of fears. It is terrible. But
then look beyond death: what is behind that? Thou shalt see at the
heels of it hell and eternal damnation.
Use 2. This should teach us also how to understand the promise of
long life. It is a promise and a favour of God to be desired. It is a
prayer with condition, if God see it good; else God may give us long
life, to see and feel a world of misery. Therefore such promises are
to be desired conditionally: if God see it good for us.
Doct. 9. Again, The Holy Ghost saith here, 'Thy eyes shall not see
the evil I will bring upon this place.' Hence we learn, that those
which be dead in the Lord, are freed from seeing of any evil or
misery. The godly shall see no misery after death. If this be so, then
they do not go into purgatory after death, as the papists hold. The
Holy Ghost saith, Josiah is taken away from seeing any evil to come.
Then sure they do not fall into such misery after death, which is
worse than death. True, say the papists, such excellent men as
Josiah do go to heaven immediately. Ay, but the Holy Ghost saith by
Isaiah, 57:1, that 'the righteous are taken away from the evil to
come.' It is spoken of the whole generation of righteous men.
Therefore it is a sottish thing for them to hold that any of them
shall see purgatory, when God saith the righteous are taken away
from seeing any evil to come.
Doct. 10. And as it is against them in this, so here is another
conclusion against popery, that takes away their invocation of
saints: for the righteous go to heaven, and cannot see or know our
wants and miseries; yea, they are taken away, because they should
not see the miserable estate that befalls their posterity. Then if they
do not know our wants, how can they hear and help us when we
pray, seeing it is a part of their happiness not to understand our
miseries? For if Josiah, from heaven, could have seen the desolation
and misery that befell his country afterwards, it would have I
wrought upon him. But Josiah was taken away, that he should not
see it. Therefore, why should men spend that blessed incense and
sacrifice of prayer, unto those that cannot hear? But put case, they
could hear some; yet can they hear all that pray unto them? A finite
creature hath but a finite act and limited power. How can one saint
give a distinct answer and help to perhaps a thousand prayers, as
the virgin Mary hath many thousand prayers offered her? How can
she distinctly know, and give a distinct answer to every prayer?
'Thou shalt be put in thy grave in peace, neither shall thy eyes see
all, the evil that I will bring upon this place.' Let us learn here a
mystery of divine providence in his death; for there is a mystery of
providence, not only in great matters, as election and
predestination, but in ordering of the common things of the world.
How many excellent mysteries are here wrapt together in this death
of Josiah! As, first, it is said that he died in peace, whereas he died a
violent death, and was slain by the hands of his enemies. His death
was both a mercy and a correction: a correction for his error in
being so hasty in going to war with Pharaoh, king of Egypt; and yet
it was a mercy, because it prevented him from seeing the evil to
come, and so likewise brought him sooner to heaven. It is a strange
thing to see how the wisdom of heaven can mingle crosses and
favours, corrections and mercies together; that the same thing
should be both a mercy to Josiah to be taken away, and yet a
correction also for his error, in going to fight against Necho, king of
Egypt, as we see 2 Chron. 35:23. We may have mercies and
afflictions upon us at the same time, as God, by the same death,
corrected Josiah's folly, and rewarded his humility.
Mark here again another mystery, in the carriage of divine
providence: how he brings his promises to pass strangely above the
reach of man; as here, he having promised Josiah that he should die
in peace, one would have thought that Josiah should have died in
pomp and state. No. Thou shalt die in peace, although thou be slain
by the hand of thy enemies; thou shalt come to heaven, although it
be by a strange way. Thus God brings his children to heaven by
strange ways, yea, by contrary ways, [by] afflictions and
persecutions. Paul knew he should come to Rome, although it were
by a strange way; though he suffered shipwreck, and was in great
danger, as we may see Acts 27:2, seq. God hath strange ways to
bring his counsels to pass, which he doth so strangely, as we may
see his own hand in it.
Again, Here we may see another mystery in divine providence,
concerning the death of Josiah, in that he was taken away being a
young man, but thirty-nine years old, who was the flower of his
kingdom, and one upon whom the flourishing estate of such a
kingdom did depend. Now, for such a gracious prince to be taken
away in such a time, and at such an age, when he might have done
much good, a man would hardly believe this mystery in divine
providence. But 'our times are in God's hand,' Ps. 31:15. His time is
better than ours. And therefore he, seeing the sins of the people to
be so great, that he could not bear with them longer,—for it was the
sins of the people that deprived them of Josiah. It was not the king
of Egypt who was the cause of his death, but the sins of the land—
those caused God to make this way, to take away their gracious
king.
Use. Here we may admire the wisdom of God, who doth not give an
account unto us of his doings, why he suffers some to live, and
takes away others; why he suffers the wicked to live, and takes away
his own. We can give little reason for it, because it is a mystery; but
God best knoweth the time when to reap his own corn.
'Neither shall thy eyes see all the evil I will bring upon this place,
and upon the inhabitants of the land.'
Doct. 11. Here the Holy Ghost doth insinuate unto us that whilst
Josiah was alive, God would not bring this judgment upon the land,
but after his death, then it should come upon them. So here we
learn this comfortable point of instruction, that the lives of God's
children do keep back judgment and evil from the place where they
live, and their death is a forerunner of judgment. Their life keeps
back ill, and their death plucks down ill. While thou art alive, I will
bring no evil upon this place, but when thou art gone, then I will
bring it down, saith God. The reasons of this are,
Reason 1. Because gracious men do make the times and the places
good where they live. It is a world of good that is done by their
example and help. While they live the times are the better for them.
Reason 2. And again, they keep back ill, because gracious men do
bind God by their prayers. They force, as it were, a necessity upon
God, that he must let the world alone. They bind his hands, that he
will do nothing while they are in it; as to Lot in Sodom, 'I can do
nothing while* thou art gone, saith the angel,' Gen. 19:22. They
stand in the gap, and keep God from pouring down the vials of his
wrath. But when they are gone, there is nothing to hinder or stop
the current of divine justice, but that it must needs have his course.
As when men have gathered their corn into their barns, then let
their beasts, or whatsoever else go into the field, they care not; and
as when the jewels are taken out of a rotten house, though the fire
then seize upon it, men regard not. So when God's jewels are
gathered to himself, then woe to the wicked world, for then God will
break forth in wrath upon them. Woe to the old world when Noah
goes into the ark, for then follows the flood. Woe to Sodom when
Lot goes out of it, for then it is sure to be burned. Luther prayed that
God would not bring war upon the people in Germany all his time,
but when he died, the whole land was overspread with war. So,
before the destruction of Jerusalem, God did gather the Christians
to a little city called Pella, near Jerusalem, then came Titus and
Vespasian and ruinated the city of Jerusalem. So there are many
gracious parents that die, after whose death comes some miserable
end to their wicked children, but not before. God takes away the
parents out of the world, that they might not see the ruin of their
children. So then we see that it is clear, that good men keep back
judgment from the places where they live.
What should we learn from hence?
Use 1. This should teach us to make much of such men as truly fear
God, seeing it is for their sakes that God doth spare us. They carry
the blessing of God with them wheresoever they go. As Laban's
house was blessed for Jacob's sake, Gen. 30:27, and Potiphar's for
Joseph's sake, Gen. 39:23, so the wicked are spared and fare the
better for the saints who live among them. But what is the common
course of wicked men? To hate such with a deadly hatred above all
others, because their lives and speeches do discover the wickedness
of theirs, and because they tell them the truth, and reprove them.
Therefore it was that Ahab could not endure the sight of Micaiah,
that holy prophet, who without flattery spake downright truth, 1
Kings 22:8, seq. So it is now beyond seas and elsewhere. They
labour to root out all the good men. But what will they get by it?
Surely it will be a thousand times worse with them than it is; for if
they were out, then woe to the land presently.
Use 2. This should also teach us to pray to God to bless those that
are good. Is it not good for us to uphold those pillars whereby we
stand? What madness is it for a man to labour to pull down the
pillar whereby he is holden alive? As Samson, pulling down the
pillars of the house, brought death upon himself, so godly men, the
pillars of this tottering world, which uphold the places whereby they
live, being once shaken, all the whole state falls. Therefore let us not
be enemies to our own good, to hate the godly; for it is for their
sakes the Lord shews mercy to us, and refrains to pour out his
judgment upon the wicked world. And when the best gathering of all
gatherings shall come; that the elect of God shall be gathered
together, then comes the misery of all miseries to the wicked. So we
see this point is clear, that the godly, while they are alive, keep back
ill and bring much good. For doth God continue the world for
wicked men? Surely no. For what glory and honour hath God from
such wicked wretches? Do they not swear, lie, live filthily, and abuse
his members? Is it for these that God doth continue the world?
Surely no; but for the godly's sake are judgments deferred, and the
world is continued.
Use 3. If this be thus, well may we lament the death of those that
are good. For when they are gone, our safety is gone. 'They are the
chariots and horsemen of Israel,' 2 Kings 2:12. Therefore well may
we bewail their loss. Well might Jeremiah lament for the death of
Josiah, for together with the breath of Josiah the life of that state
breathed out; together with him, the flourishing condition of
Jerusalem died, and lay buried with him as it were in the same
grave.
See here again how God correcteth too much resting on the arm of
flesh. They blessed themselves under Josiah, as if no evil should
come near them; as appears, Lament, 4:20, 'The breath of our
nostrils, the anointed of the Lord, was taken in their pits, of whom
we said, Under his shadow we shall live.' There is no greater wrong
to ourselves, and to others on whom we rest so much, than to
secure ourselves so much on them as to neglect serious turning to
God.
'Neither shall thy eyes see all the evil I will bring upon this place.'
This is the ground why he should die in peace, 'Because he shall not
see all the evil I will bring upon this place.' Here we see that the
judgment which God threatened to bring upon the church and
commonwealth is set down by this word 'evil.' 'Thine eyes shall not
see all the evil I will bring upon this place.' But who sends this evil.
It is an evil brought by God. Thou shalt not see the evil 'I will bring,'
&c. It was not God that brought it properly, but Nebuchadnezzar,
who carried his sons into captivity. Howsoever, God had a hand in
it. 'For is there any evil in the city and God hath not done it?' saith
the prophet, Amos 3:6. But we must distinguish between evil. There
is,
1. The evil of sin; and 2. The evil of punishment.
First, the evil of sin; and this God doth not bring, for it is hateful
unto him. Then the evil of punishment, which is twofold:
(1.) Either that which comes immediately from God, as famine,
pestilence, or the like; in which punishments we are to deal with
God alone.
(2.) Or else, the evil that comes from God, but by men, which he
useth as instruments to punish us, and this is by war and cruel
usage.
Now thus Josiah is taken away from this greatest evil we can suffer
in this life; to have God correct us by the hands of men. For when
we have to deal with God, the labour is easier to prevail with him, as
David did, 2 Sam. 24:14. But when we have to deal with merciless
men, then we have to deal with the poisoned malice of men, besides
God's anger. Now the evil that comes from God is chiefly,
The ill which seizeth upon the soul after death; or else, the evil
which seizeth upon the whole man, both soul and body, both in this
and after this life.
Thus God is said to bring evil, not the evil of sin, but the evil of
punishment.
Doct. 12. Hence we learn, that the evils which we suffer, they are
from the evil of sin. It is sin that makes God to bring evil upon the
creature. If we look upward to God, there is no evil in the world, for
in that consideration all things are good so far as he hath a hand in
them. Therefore, whatsoever the creature suffers, it comes from the
meritorious evil, the evil of sin. It comes from God, but through the
evil of sin provoking him.
Quest. If any man ask, How can God, which is good, bring that
which is evil?
Sol. I answer, We must know that the evil of punishment is the
good of justice. All the evil that he doth is good, as it comes from
him in his justice punishing, because it doth good to them that are
punished, either to cause them return, or if they will not, to shew
the glory of his justice in condemning them. It is the good of justice,
and it is not always in God only permitting or suffering such a thing
for to be done; but it is in him as an act, having a hand in it.
Therefore God saith, 'Ashur is the rod of my wrath;'* so that in all
punishments God hath a hand, whether it be upon the body or soul.
Use. This serves for direction unto us, To begin where we should
begin; in all our afflictions to go to heaven and make our peace with
God, and not go to secondary causes. For all evil of punishment
comes from him. Let us, if we fear evil, make our peace with God by
repentance and new obedience; and then he will overrule all
secondary causes so as to help us. Go not in this case to the jailor, or
to the executioner, but go to the judge. Let us make our peace in
heaven first, and then there will be soon a command for our ease.
Yea, Christ can command the wind and sea to be still, the devil
himself to be quiet, if our peace be made with him.
Therefore let us learn this lesson, and not fret against the
instrument whereby God useth to correct us. David had learned
thus much when Shimei railed upon him: 'It is God that hath bid
him, therefore let him alone,' 2 Sam. 16:11. So holy Job saith, 'It is
God that gives, and God that takes away,' Job 1:21. He doth not only
say, God gives, but God takes away. Oh but it was the Chaldeans
that took it away. Ay, but it is no matter for that, God gave them
leave. Therefore let us carry ourselves patiently in all troubles,
submitting ourselves under the mighty hand of God, from whom we
have all evil of punishment.
Obj. Again, Here we have another mystery of divine providence. For
it may be objected. What! will God bring evil upon his own church
and people? upon the temple and place where his name is called
upon, and that by idolaters. Where is divine justice now?
Sol. I answer. Hold thy peace, take not the balance out of God's
hand. He knows what is better for us than we ourselves. We must
not call God to our bar, for we shall all appear before his. God useth
servants and slaves to correct his sons; worse men than his people
to correct his people. It is his course so to do, when they of his own
sin against him. For evil men many times make evil men good,
when they are used as instruments to correct them; as here God
useth wicked men to make his children good. So God makes a rod of
Ashur, to make his evil children better. He useth slaves to correct
his sons, because it is too base a service for the angels or good men
to do. Therefore he useth the devil and his instruments to do it.
Wherefore let us not call into question God's providence; for when
he will punish his people, he can hiss for a worse people; for Egypt,
or Ashur, or the like. So if he will punish England, he can hiss again
for the Danes, or Normans, to punish his own people. Let us not
boast we are God's people and they idolaters. No; God can hiss for a
baser people to punish his own servants. It is the will of God so to
dispose, and the will of God is summa justitia, the height of justice.
God will have it so. Let us make our peace with him, and not
demand why he doth thus and thus.
'And so they brought the king word again.' I will but touch this in a
word, and so make an end.
Here we see that the messengers deal faithfully with Josiah. They
brought the direct message which the prophetess did bid them,
which was good for himself, but doleful for his estate. He was a
gracious man, and God gave him gracious servants.
Doct. 13. For God will give good men faithful servants, that shall
deal faithfully with them. As for the wicked, God will give them
such servants that shall humour them to their own ruin. If they
have a heart not desirous to hear the truth, if they be Ahabs, they
shall have four hundred false prophets to lead them in a course to
their own ruin. But Josiah had an upright heart, desiring to know
the truth. Therefore God gave him a faithful prophetess to deal truly
with him, and faithful messengers to bring the true answer.
'Then the king sent and gathered together all the elders of Judah
and Jerusalem. And the king went up into the house of the Lord,
and all the men of Judah, and the inhabitants of Jerusalem, and the
priests, and the Levites, and all the people great and small,' &c.
Which words shew what good king Josiah did upon the receipt of
this message. As soon as ever he heard it, he did not suffer it to cool
upon him. But when his spirit was stirred up, he did as a gracious
king should do, he sent and gathered all the elders of Judah, and the
inhabitants of Jerusalem, both great and small, and they went up to
the house of the Lord, and there read in their ears all the words of
the book of the covenant which was found in the house of the Lord.
Here, first, we see that Josiah gathered, as it were, a parliament and
a council; as also, in both Josiah and the people, we may behold an
excellent and sweet harmony of state, when all, both king and
priests, Levites and people, did meet amiably together. This was an
excellent time, when there was such an harmony between king and
people, that he no sooner commands but they obeyed him.
But more particularly we learn,
Doct. 14. That the care of the commonwealth and of the church is a
duty belonging to the king, that the reformation both of church and
commonwealth belongs unto the prince. There is a generation
which think that the king must only take care for the
commonwealth. But they have also power to look to religion. We
see Josiah doth it, he is the keeper of both. Josiah hath a care of
religion, and it doth become his place. He is a head, and it is
befitting his relation. He is a father, not only to look to the temporal
state, but to the church.
The Donatists in Augustine's time did ask, What had the emperor to
do with the church? But it was answered that the emperor could not
rule the commonwealth except he govern the church, for the church
is a commonwealth. So that we see, as a chief right, the ordering of
the matters of religion belongs to the care of the prince. But there
are two things in religion: first, intrinsecal, within the church, as to
preach, administer the sacraments, and ordain ministers. These he
ought not to do. But for those things that are without it, these
belong unto him. If any of those that are placed in church or
commonwealth, do not their duty, it is fitting for him to correct. He
ought to set all a-going without, and to remove abuses, but not to
meddle with the things within the church aforesaid, as to execute
the same, but to oversee and govern their execution, and those
persons whose proper office it is to execute them.
This observe against the usurpation of the pope, and see the
supremacy of king Josiah, that he is supreme over all; not only over
temporal persons, but over evangelical persons. For there was an
high priest at that time and the Levites, but none were above king
Josiah.
Quest. Ay, but this was under the law, say the papists.
Sol. 1. I answer, that this is a rule in divinity, that the gospel doth
not take away or dissolve the laws of nature and reason. Therefore if
the supremacy belonged to the prince then, surely now much more.
Therefore saith one, We give respect to the emperor as next to God;
to God in the first place, and then to the emperor.* The ministers
have power over the prince for to direct him and give him counsel,
but yet they are not above him. A physician doth give directions for
his patient. Is he therefore above him? So a builder giveth direction
for the building of the king's house. Is this any supremacy? So the
minister may give direction and counsel to the prince; but hath he
therefore any superiority above the prince? Surely no.
Sol. 2. In the second place, here we see who it is that called this
parliament. It was king Josiah. He was the first mover in calling of
this council, for he was the head; and had it not been a strange thing
to have seen the foot move before the head? The head must first
give direction before any of the members can move. Therefore it is
only in the authority of the king to gather a council, and none must
gather a public assembly without authority from the king.
The calling of assemblies belongs to the prince. If it be a general
council, then it must be by the emperor; if it be a national council,
then by the king or prince of that nation; if provincial, then first
from the king or princes, as first movers of it, and so to others. As
the heavens, and these celestial bodies over the earth, first move,
and then all other afterward, so kings ought first to move, and then
all to follow.
Use 1. If this be so, we see how the pope wrongfully takes this right
of calling councils to himself, which properly belongs to the
emperor; for we know that for a thousand years after Christ the
emperor called councils, if any were. But of late years the pope,
encroaching upon the emperor, hath usurped this right of calling
them, whenas you see no assemblies ought to be gathered without
the authority of the prince.
Though fasting be an excellent thing, yet public fasting must not be
without the consent of the king. Let Christians have as much private
fasting as they will, thereby to humble themselves, but public fasts
must not be without the consent of the king; for great matters are to
be done by great motions. Here is a great matter of gathering a
council. Therefore the head and body and all join together. As it is
when the body is to do some great thing, all the members of the
body stir together to do it, so it is with the commonwealth. When
great matters are in hand, all must be joined together, as here king,
priests, Levites, and all the people, both great and small, joined
together for to prevent the judgment threatened.
But what must we do if things be amiss? I answer, Take the right
course; that is, go to God by prayer, and entreat him who hath the
hearts of kings in his hands, to incline and stir up the hearts of
princes for to reform abuses. Well, but what did the king do when
he had gathered all the elders and inhabitants of Judah and
Jerusalem into the house of the Lord? They went up thither to fast,
and pray, and read the book of the law.
Reformation makes all outward things fall into a good rule, but they
are to be called only by the authority of the prince, and when a fit
time and occasion requires.
The papists brag much of the Council of Trent; but if ever there was
a conspiracy against Christ, it was in that council; for the parties
that had most offended, and were most accused, and should have
been judged, were the judges; and the Holy Ghost, which should
have been in the council, and should have been their judge, him
they excluded, and received a foul spirit of antichrist sent unto
them, in a cap-case* from Rome, whence they had all their counsel.
Was not this a goodly council?
Again, In that Josiah gathered a council in time of public disorder
and public danger, here we learn that it is not only lawful, but many
times necessary, to gather assemblies and councils for reformation
of abuses, both in church and commonwealth, which otherwise
cannot be abolished. So councils are good to make canons, rules,
and to prevent heresy; yea, much good may be done by gathering of
them, if they meet to a good end, for the good of the church, and the
glory of God; for God who is willing and able to perform the good
will be strongly amongst them. For if Christ by his Spirit hath
promised to be in that assembly, 'where two or three are gathered
together' upon good grounds, and to good ends, how much more
will he be, when two or three hundreds are so gathered together?
But this must be done by the consent of authority, otherwise it
would be an impeachment to government. So much briefly for this
text, and for this time.
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